Deadly Words
by 22wolf
Summary: A big mouth can always get you in trouble...with vampires, it can be a lot of trouble. "You told them you were mine. I'll take that as you offering yourself to me. Consider yourself mine." Eric said eric/OC Dina, D/s, violence, lemons, for adults only
1. Big Mouth

I was in the back by the bathrooms when I heard the commotion. I walked out and it took me a minute to figure out what was going on. Everyone in the bar was still but I could see the tension on their faces. A few people looked ready to bolt at a moment's notice and a few of the guys looked ready for a fight. Four vampires stood near the pool tables, Sookie was in the middle of the bar squaring off against them, and my hand was on the corner of the bar trying to decide what to do. Tara wisely backed up and I couldn't see anyone in the kitchen. Sam was still away visiting family and the leadership appeared to fall on Sook. She yelled at them to leave or they'd end up in the vampire cell at one of the local police stations.

Her approach was not working as one stepped closer. They knew not to act rashly. I think they were just trying to cause problems without actually getting into trouble. Even though Bill would protect her, he lacked authority and was only one vampire against these four. She was either being proud or forgetful to not invoke Eric's name.

"Yous better get out of here" I heard my voice say. "The sheriff will not approve of yous harassing humans in a bar where you are not welcome."

One of them hissed at me and another began to step closer, moving around Sookie. I gently flicked my wrist with my fingers raised to tell her to back off. I did want this to become violent and I didn't want anyone hurt.

"And how will he know about this? Why do you think he'd pay attention to something as trivial as a bunch of scared bloodbags?" his voice became mocking at the end of his question.

"I'll tell him" I said in a voice strong than I thought I was capable of.

"You think he'll care what you have to say?" one of the other three, a woman with horrible make-up, said and laughed.

"Maybe we'll just kill you before you have the chance" another replied and extended his fangs.

I heard some murmurs and Sookie went to speak again. I thought as hard as I could, hoping she'd hear it - "hush, I got it under control"

I knew I was lying, but I'd rather have me get hurt than anyone else.

"He defiantly won't like you hurting what's his." did I just say that? yeah, yeahs I did.

oh, great. I was not Eric's. we knew each other well enough and he probably liked me better than most humans, but we were not involved and he had no claim on me.

"You're his?" the vamp asked me. I nodded. "I don't believe you. There are no marks on that pretty little neck of yours."

"He put them where no one else can see." I said harshly before I could stop myself.

What the fuck was wrong with me? If they didn't kill me - Eric just might.

"She is his." Sookie lied. "You should all leave now!" her voice rose.

They looked around the room and each other. The apparent leader jerked his head toward the door and they walked out without saying a word but speaking volumes.

Once they walked out. I started sobbing. Sookie came near me and I just put my hands up to stop her.

"Call Eric. Get me the phone. Please." I walked back toward the office and bathroom.

"maybe we should..." she began

"NO!. I need to call him now. just do it. give me the phone I'll do it myself." I was between screaming and sobbing. I wasn't meaning to sound so mean, but I was freaked out. I had to call him. I had to tell him what he said before someone else did. I had to make sure he'd back my story or they'd come back for me.

She dialed and handed me her cell phone. I ran in the bathroom and locked the door.

Pam answered. While she wasn't fond of me per se, she didn't hate me.

"I need to talk to Eric. Its an emergency." I heard the panic in my voice.

"Oh? Is it now? A bloody emergency perhaps?"

I sobbed into my hand and did not reply.

I heard the phone move from her hand to his.

"I'm here." he said without preamble.

"Eric you gotta come to Merlottes and get me. I really fucked up and some vampires came in here. And I gotta talk to you." I rambled.

I could imagine him sitting up right in his chair as I heard his sharp voice.

"What did you do? What happened?"

"Please come here. Please." I wailed. I couldn't stop crying. I think me begging him really did the trick. I try never to act so pathetic around someone who has the ability to tear people limb from limb. Especially when that particular guy is the authority anyone else who killed someone would answer to. He hung up the phone without a word. I collapsed against the wall of the bathroom and slid to the floor. I'd never been so scared in my life. any adrenaline I had in my depleted. I couldn't catch my breath. I was having a panic attack.

It felt like a century before I heard Eric's voice outside the door. "Open" he commanded. I stood and unlocked the door.

"What happened?" he asked closing the door.

I tried not to cry and just give him the basics of what had transpired.

"Some crazy vamps came in here - don't know why - and started trouble. I told them to leave..." my voice began to break. "Or you'd be pissed. They challenged my statement and I said.." I started to sob.

He looked at me waiting for me to pull myself together. I could see his suspicion as he wondered what I'd say next. he also seemed somewhat shocked by my traumatized state.

"I told them I was yours. I'm so sorry. I didn't know what else to do and he was getting closer to me." I began to talk very fast.

I could clearly see his surprised expression. he raised a hand to silence me.

"You told them you were mine and they left?" he asked and I nodded.

"Sorry" I mumbled, still unable to control my self from speaking even after it landed me in this situation.

He paused and looked at me. "Fine. You said it, now live with it." I saw his lips curve up into a smile for a spilt second until he dropped them back down into his typical expressionless face.

"What?" I asked shocked.

He stepped closer to me and put his hands on my hips.

"You told them you were mine. I'll take that as you offering yourself to me. Consider yourself mine." he said calmly, but still firmly.

I inhaled sharply and steadied my self by putting my hands on his forearms. "You're going to...bite me?" I asked tentatively.

"Not just that." He pulled me closer and slid his hands to cup my bottom tightly.

I breathed in again and blinked my eyes. There was no mistaking his meaning.

I tried to think of the positives. At least I was safe; no one would touch me now.

He broke our embrace and reached for my hand. I didn't look up and tried to not think as he led me out of the bar.

Sookie asked what we were doing. He replied that he was taking me home without looking back. I kept pace with him until we got outside. He turned toward me.

"Grab on to me." I realized he flew here and that is how we were traveling. I was a little scared. I preferred my feet on the ground but knew I could not argue. I tried to melt my body into his and I grabbed him for dear life before we even began to move.

He grasped my waist almost carelessly. And we were off, I shut my eyes and burying my face in his chest.


	2. Marked

We landed in front of my house and I stumbled when I let go of him. I was still very tense, but was so happy to be back on the ground. He grabbed my arm to steady me and didn't let go as he began to walk into the house. I'd already invited him in and although he was normally polite, he saw no problem with pulling me into my own house and walking straight through like he owned the place. He whisked me into my room and slammed the door before pulling me up against him. His kiss was almost violent. I wrapped my arms around him and kissed back. His hands were roaming my body and I felt him pushing me toward my bed. I'm not positive how it happened but I ended up in the middle of the bed with him landing next to me. I think I was sitting on the edge of the mattress, he grabbed my legs and tossed them, and somehow I rolled so he had room. I don't know if it was my rough night, his amazing kissing, or his vampiric movements but everything was a blur.

He was on his side, his lips back on mine, with his leg draped over me. I ran a hand through his hair as he began to kiss down my face and stoke up my side to my breast with his free hand. His hand drifted back down and pushed my sweater up to undo my jeans.

He kissed my neck and stopped.

"How did you explain not having any marks?" he asked me.

"I told them you put them where they couldn't see." I said with an unsure voice. How could I have said that? I was still shocked.

He laughed. "Want to make that a reality?" he did not wait for me to answer before he went back to pulling my clothes off. I lifted my hips as my jeans went down. I was not wearing underwear and watched him smile when he felt my bare skin. I propped myself up on my elbows and he began to tug my shirt off. I moved with him as the last articles of clothing I had on were thrown to the floor.

I grabbed the hem of his Fangtasia T-shirt and he lifted his arms as I pulled it off him. I ran my hands over his chest, paying attention to his hard nipples.

My finger tips went down to the top of his jeans and I ran my hand over the bulge in his pants. I smiled as his growled impatiently. I was suddenly pushed back on the bed with an aroused vampire, fangs fully out leaning over me. He undid his pants and stood to toss them and the rest of his clothes on the floor near mine.

Before I knew it he was pressing his body on mine. I felt his erection against my thigh.

Defiantly, a gracious plenty.

The only thing that went through my head was

Yikes. Yahoo. Yum.

His lips and hands both went for my breasts. rubbing, groping, licking, kissing, and gently touching his fangs all over my chest until I was a seconds from insanity and moments from orgasm. He began to trail down my body and my legs opened instinctively.

He inhaled my scent and smiled before lowing his head between my legs. I felt his tongue tracing my labia while ignoring my aching clit. I began to wither and let a whine slip past my lips. I looked down to see him looking at me with a very fangy smile on his face. he leaned down and finally used his mouth on the part of my body needing it the most.

I moaned as he licked and sucked my clit. I was so close to orgasming when he slowed down. I sighed very loudly. What was he doing?!?

I felt his finger slip inside me. He alternating between rubbing my G-spot and pulling his digit out until only the very tip was inside me as he traced small circles around my opening.

He kissed my thigh and began to press on my spot rapidly. I can't lie, as his fangs sank into me I almost cried. But within a minute it began to be am amazing experience. His feeding on me was slightly painful, but a great contrast to his fingers buried inside me.

He didn't let me cum until he was ready to seal the wound he left on me. My head was swimming and I shirked when I finally found my release.

Before I could even recover, he was on me, pushing into me. We groaned in unison as his length dove into me. I felt myself stretch for him and nearly came all over again.

He kissed me hard as his hips bucked against mine. After holding himself back for so long, he couldn't not fuck me hard.

My legs rapped around him. I lost count of how many orgasms I had.

He made a primal noise and spoke in a language I was too tired to place as he came inside me.

I laid back on the pillows with his arm under me, his hand on my hip. I finally started breathing regularly again and just enjoyed the moment. I felt him shift as he leaned over me.

"I'm going to bite your neck."

I looked at him surprised. Was he still hungry? How much could I give him?

It dawned on me what he meant.

"You're going to mark me." I said, not in the happiest of tones.

He raised his eyebrow. "For your protection" he sounded irritated.

I sighed and felt bad. He was doing right by me. His scent on me and the marks from his fangs being viable would keep me safer than anything else would.

"Okay."

I turned my head and exposed my neck with my yes closed. I heard the 'click' as his fangs extended. I felt his lower his head to my neck, but he didn't bite. He said quietly into my ear.

"Its not as fun to bite the willing....but you being so.." he paused. "accommodating is doing a lot for me right now."

I felt his chuckle against my skin as his fangs scraped me. He sunk them in almost a gentle motion. He fed from me a bit longer than I expected. His body was lowered against mine and I ran my fingers through his hair and felt content. He finished and rolled off me, pulling me to lie my head on his chest on the way.

I must have dosed off because felt him shake me lightly as he called my name. I opened my eyes to find myself still curled against Eric. I lifted my head to look at his face.

"It's almost dawn. Keep your neck uncovered for now on until I tell you otherwise. I'll be back here tomorrow night, be ready for me." His voice was kind but affirmative.

I wasn't thrilled with the fact that he was giving me orders. But I'd stumbled across some buried wisdom I didn't know I possessed and kept quiet. He began to move to get out of bed and I adjusted myself to let him. He stood next to me, still very naked and I propped myself up on one elbow. He leaned down and kissed me. After 1,000 years, you learn to kiss very well.

He hand was cupping my chin and when he broke our kiss, his face stayed within mere inches of mine.

"And don't engage anymore "crazy vamps" His voice was soft, but his tone was sharp as a knife. He released my face and turned to find his clothes which were scattered along with mine all over my bedroom floor.

I sighed, partially because of how much I wanted him back in bed with me (but we were both tired) and because I wasn't enjoying this dramatic change of events. We both knew I would 'engage' anyone before I'd let others get hurt, but I deeply regretted how things had transpired. Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut.

"Enjoying the view?" Eric asked and chuckled. He stood and began to walk around, calling over his shoulder at me "tomorrow night. Don't forget." Before he left.


	3. Day One

I woke up around 11:00. I defiantly was going to miss all of my morning classes and didn't have to be at the bar until 2:00. I was very tired and lethargic. I think it was from Eric feeding on me.

I had an easy morning as I took my time drinking coffee, grabbing some breakfast, and checking my e-mail.

I put on my uniform and debated putting my hair up. I was going to keep my marks exposed, but I didn't know if I wanted to push it. I decided to just go all out and pulled my hair up as high as it would go. I decided I looked nice in my Merlottes shirt, with messy - but stylish - balled up hair, and two puncture marks on my neck.

I called Fangtasia and left a message telling Eric I would get off of work at 8:00pm. I'd go right home after that and be there for him.

The bar was never that crowed at lunch time, but it was generally the time when seniors, people with no lives, and obnoxious gossipers (like Maxine Fortenberry. ugh) came in. I put on the fake smile that got me tips and began to take orders in my section.

It didn't take a telepath nor a genius to read their discomfort and disapproval at my 'love bites', courteously of one very sexy vamp. I acted like nothing was out of the ordinary. Sadly, Maxine doesn't understand voice volume control any more than she understands that talking about people behind their backs is not a 'Christian' trait.

I used up the last of my self control as I walked away from her.

I was doing so well the whole 20 feet I walked. And then I got to watch Arlene and one of the floater waitresses, Linda, whispering and looking at me. They suddenly became very quiet as I walked past. I could not hold my tongue.

"Hi Arlene, how are you?" between arrogant professors and obnoxious customers I was becoming a master at playing nice. And occasionally playing dumb.

"Oh, hi...fine. Just fine." She sputtered.

"So what y'all talking about?" Isn't it annoying how bad slangs become part of your life after hearing them all day long?

"Well honey..." Arlene began. "You know I'd never pry."

_Oh really?_

"But I heard about..." she looked around and dropped her voice to a whisper. "Last night. And now.....now you have bite marks on you!."

Well, she was prying rather she admitted it or not. And as much as she tried to not sound judgmental, she failed miserably.

"Yes I do." I paused and they both stared at me with perfect silence.

"And as you can see everyone is fine. It as really uneventful. How often do we get troublemakers in here?"

I decided to play down the drama from the night before.

Arlene's face was turning a shade of red, still lighter than her hair, but pretty bright by normal standards. She bit her lip to keep from saying something that would start an issue. I'm sure she didn't think whatever she wanted to say was wrong - even though often time she said some fairly offensive things - but she didn't want to have an argument. I knew she'd wait for me to leave and find someone who would nod their head at her words and ramble off every last opinion she possessed.

Linda looked at me for a second before exclaiming,

"But that's a bunch of drunken morons...not vampires!"

"Well, you handle both the same way." I replied calmly. "Just gotta know what to say."

"Did you say they were scared of Bud Dearborn?" Arlene asked unable to stop talking.

"No." I wondered how much I should say. Vampires lived in this dualistic reality where they mainstreamed and integrated into society, but held in thousands of years of secrets.

"Then what sheriff were they so frightened by?" Linda asked, her brows drawn up in confusion.

"Just another vampire" I shrugged.

"The one that bit you?" Arlene asked. She truly had no tact. I could hear the disgust in her voice.

"Yea" I said carelessly. "Hey, I gotta go check my table. Talk with ya later."

I turned and walked away, effectively ending the conversation.

I busied my self and tried to keep my mouth shut as more people took note of my throat. Luckily time sped right by and soon over half my shift was behind me.

Eric walked in the bar soon after sun set. I could see the rage on his face. I took a deep breath and passed out the drinks I was carrying to table 5, before walking up to him. While many people have a hard time identifying vampires when their fangs are retracted (a fact Sookie and I laughed about on occasion), it was impossible to not take note of Eric and view him not only as an 'other', but as a threat. Even in a crowed bar his stature, stance, and purposeful movements that dripped with self confidence made him the center of attention.

I stood a few feet from him and heard some murmurs behind me. I knew without looking back that Arlene was not only staring but would be inching toward someone ready comment on any interaction I was about to partake in. I also knew the tough guys who felt it was their god given duty to maintain tradition social structures would be making the utterly ridiculous assumption that they could fight Eric if need be.

"I thought I told you to be ready for me tonight." He said in a quiet and lethal voice.

"Can we go talk about this in the back?" I said calmly.

He nodded and strolled right past me to the hallway near Sam's office and the kitchen. I was unable to keep pass with him and felt my cheeks redden as everyone stared at me.

He looked at me intently, but said nothing. I decided to start talking, apparently I still hadn't learned to keep quiet or at least be terse.

"I am ready for you - I called and told you I'd be home after 8. I need to finish my shift. I informed you of this as soon as I remembered that I worked today and tried my best to make sure you didn't waste your time by showing up early."

"I didn't tell you to be ready after work." He said

"Eric I have to work. I have school. I can't cut those things out of my life just because.....I'm yours." It felt so weird to say that. I could respect that there was some vampire culture I was not apart of, yet had stepped into, but something in me couldn't take this notion of me being similar to property. I was greatly nuancing the matter and I realized how ambiguous my situation really was.

He opened his mouth to speak and I held up one finger.

"Wait." I gathered my words and tried to read his face. He gave away very little, but I could tell he was displeased.

"I don't want to fight. We didn't talk about this. I don't understand what you think it means to be yours. You obviously don't understand how I'm prioritizing work and things. Why don't you just get a blood and when I get done, we'll go to my place and talk,"

I was amazed at how well I was handling this. I don't really think Eric would ever hurt me. Since I began interactions with vampires I learned to have some self control and be very glib when I spoke.

He looked at me without moving. At all. It was unnerving.  
I knew he wasn't trying to glamour me. It was more as if he wanted to stare through me.

"I will have a Trublood and I'll wait for you at your house after I finish." He walked to a table without another word or glance.

I took a deep breath. I could tell he was still unhappy. I don't think I avoided a problem as much as I just delayed it.

I did my best to finish my shift and when Sookie showed up at 7:45, I asked Sam if I could take off.

I was home in record time. I sped home, but found myself walking slow towards the front door. I told my self to toughen up and just strolled in. it is not normal for a grown woman to be scared to go into her own house.

But while it was abnormal, it might just be wise.

Eric was laying on my bean bag chair texting on his cell phone. The TV was muted with some auto insurance commercial playing. I briefly wondered what a 1000 year old Viking watches on TV.

"I'm glad you're finally here." He said without looking up.

I dropped my bag and parked my butt on the couch.

"Okay. I know you're angry. Do you want to talk to me?"

He paused to hold up on finger. I watched his fingers move quickly as he finished his message and placed the phone on my coffee table.

"You said you want to know what it is to be mine?" He asked. I nodded.

"For starters it means that being ready for me doesn't include going to work when I'm expecting you."

I saw the tips of his fangs when he tilted his head. Any calmness was only a facade. He was pissed off.

"And I told you, I can't miss work and school for you."

A small noise escaped from the back of his throat. I was done trying to keep my cool. My big mouth wasn't going to be shut any longer.

"Eric you know this! What is the matter with you? You can't just be mad over me postponing this for a few hours!"

He was on his feet and towering over me before I could blink. His fangs were fully extended.

"You are mine. You said so. You asked for this. That means I don't have to be 'postponed'" He spat the word out.

I scooted back on the couch and stood up. I only came up to his chest so I had to tilt my head all the way back to see his face.

"Then we will have to compromise on that one." I saw his body flex and he looked to the side as if he was thinking about leaving. I put my hand on his arm.

"Eric....if you don't tell me what is bothering you, I can't do anything." I stopped screaming at this point.

"Do you know how many people - vampires even - would touch me like you are? How many would yell at me like you did?"

His voice was low and predatory.

"Is that it? Am I not treating you like you feel your status requires?" I paused. "Do you want me to be like those fangbangers at your bar? Call you master, bow, an cower in your presence?"

"No." He yelled back at me.

"No." He repeated quietly.

I could see him struggling to control himself.

"Than what is it?" I asked exaggerated.

"It's this! First that little telepath walks in and messes everything up and now you!" He pointed his finger in my face.

"What are you after? Dozens of women, AND MEN, pine for my attention. You declare yourself as mine and then make me wait for you? For your job at the bar of some shifter!"

I was finally understanding what his problem was. Eric was over....life. Over emotions. Over attraction that lasted for more than a few hours.

But his world had been altered ; first by Sookie and now by me.

"Eric, I'm not after anything. I'm not asking you for anything, apart from keeping me alive. Which you did by agreeing that I'm yours." I looked into his face. My words hadn't effected him. His fangs were still down and his eyes were nearly glowing.

"I'm sorry you aren't getting what you want. I'm sorry you are feeling thing you don't want to feel."

He growled.

"I'm not feeling anything but anger and I don't mind that." he lied.

"Eric, this is what it is. You can't change it. I can't change it. Either I'm yours and we work it out or I'm not and we let it go."

He refused to look at my face, but I saw his body relax.

I touched his arm once more, gentler this time.

"I'm not Sookie. I'm not so blind that I can't see how wonderful you are. I'm not in love with someone else, I'm not unworldly, and I'm not going to run every time something stressful arises."

He said nothing and stood there for a while. I decided I had to give my words time to soak in.

"I'm still angry." he said in a much calmer voice.

"Good." he looked at me questioningly. "We can use that" I grabbed the belt loop on his jeans, smiled, and pulled him toward my room.

We had a lot to talk about, but its best to relieve a vampire before you start a serious conversation.


	4. Anger

**Hey, I've been reading the reviews - thank you all so much.**

**I've also had a few friends giving my some good critiques which is both shaping the story and dismantling parts of it. **

**I'll be honest - I thought about the middle of this story before the end or the beginning. I have named the character - finally, right! - She is Dina Marie. I'm going to work in some background on her and Eric as I go along. She is college aged (I'll throw out an actual # soon). **

**I want to make one small comment on Sookie : there is some duality in how Dina (the o/c lead) feels about her. They are friends, both having contact with supes as a large common factor in their lives. but Dina does dislike some of Sookie's less appealing qualities and feels almost protective of Eric. For Sookie fans, this might be disappointing but know she isn't being trashed merely criticized. Even in the best friendships there is often anger. for Eric fans, this might be a nice change of pace to have some of the negative treatment of Eric called out.**

**Oh, and sorry if this was shorter and smuttier than usual. Midterms are killing me. **

I got him in my room and could feel the smile on my face. He looked at me and moving quicker than I could see, tackled me on the bed. amazingly he didn't land on me, but over me with his arms supporting his weight. He began to rip my clothes off - literally, I heard the tear being made on my pants as he drug them down my legs. He tossed me around like a rag doll in his frenzy to get me naked. He didn't pay the same attention to himself as he only undid his pants, revealing a lack of underwear, and kept his clothes on.

He flipped me on my stomach, grabbed my ankles, and started pushing my leg until I bent my knees. I didn't even finish rising the top half of my body, before I felt his cool fingers spreading my lips. His digits were quickly replaced with his cock and he slammed into me in one fluid thrust. I lost any stability I had and went back down on the mattress with my knees bent and my ass in the air. I groaned as he began to rock his hips at rapid pace. His hands tightly gripped my hips and my whole body rocked with his.

It felt so good; a great mix of pressure, pleasure, and pain.

I didn't think it was possible for him to go faster, but he did. I started to cum. I was shocked at the animalistic noises I made. It was like my body was exploding. I heard him groan deeply and let out a shout as he came inside of me. My mind was foggy, but I heard him mumble what I can only assume were words. He let go and fell on the bed next to me.

I stayed facedown on the bed trying to catch my breath. He recovered much faster than I did. He rose from the bed and stripped off his clothes. I turned to look at him just as he rolled me over and pulled me up by my forearms. His lips fell on mine. He lifted me and put me back down on the bed before covering my body with his. His mouth went straight to my tits. Unlike last night, he dove his fangs into them and fed from me. It was almost unbearably painful and I whimpered. His hand went between my legs and caressed me. I collapsed against the pillows and enjoyed the sensations. He moved to my other breast and did the same thing. I was a little more prepared this time. After he had enough, he looked into my face, his eyes were wide and intense, his fangs coated with my blood, and his face could only be described as primal.

He reached down and guided himself in to me. His pace wasn't as fast as last time, but it was still quick. He pulled back and began to thrust as much of himself into me as he could. Over and over again.

I was groaning and moaning, feeling both the string of him hammering into me and the felicific stimulation of my spot as he did so.

His lips fastened to my neck and he began to suck on my skin. I felt his fangs but he did not bite. He reared up to look into my eyes and I rose my hand to head to touch his blonde hair. he jerked and his pace immediately slowed to a stop.

"You aren't afraid of me." I couldn't tell if this was a statement or a question.

"No." I said sincerely.

He kept looking at me. I don't think there would ever be a more intense moment than this; him inside me, his blue eyes boring into mine, his fangs poking out of his mouth, his body completely still. It was as if time decided it best to stand still for this moment.

He leaned down and kissed me. passionately. Softly. Slowly.

His hips began to move once more, mimicking his kiss. My body was once again taken over as it experienced this new, slow pace. I was tender, but it still felt wonderful. his face never drifted more than a few inches from mine. I felt him draw near his release and he caught my eyes right before his closed. He tilted his head back and sighed deeply. He stayed inside me and my body relaxed.

He pressed his weight down on one elbow and brought his wrist to his mouth. He bit himself and put it by my mouth.

"Drink." He said.

I was shocked more than anything else, but before I had a chance to weigh the pros and cons his wrist was against my lips. My mouth opened slightly and his blood began to flow into it. I decided to just do it. I never expected it to be so thick or so sweet. I knew about blood (in theory) from my doctor shows on TV and knew about v-addicts. But this was beyond anything I could have imagined. I wasn't the slightest bit repulsed as I clamped my mouth over the wound and sucked hard.

He must have moved his body because I felt his fingers running through my hair as he pulled his wrist from my mouth.

"Let go." he said.

I didn't want to. He stopped stroking my hair and put his palm on my forehead so I couldn't follow his bleeding wound as he removed it. He licked his wrist and I was jealous - I wanted more. I could understand how people got addicts and I was getting it right from the source. V-juice became more and more potent and drug like as it sat outside of the vampire's body; like wine. I can't imagine what it would be like to have that and after my reaction to this, I didn't want to.

My body was doing better. I looked down and the marks on my breasts were hardly visible. It was an odd sensation as I could feel my bruises reducing, the blood moving away, and my eyes watched as the purple splotch on my thigh turned back to my normal skin tone. Eric laid beside me and his hand ran up my leg.

I spread my legs without thinking, but he didn't smile cockily as he normally would. He punctured his finger with his fang and pushed it inside me. I cringed from the pain. I was still stiff. But just as the blood I drank began to heal my bruises and bite marks, any tears he made while he fucked me were healing.

Once he felt I was healed enough he leaned back on the bed. I rolled to my side and his arm swung over my side. We tugged the blankets up over us and he snuggled his chest against my back.

"Honey, are we going to finish our talk?" I asked.

The only reason I was still awake was because of his blood. I wasn't tired like I should have been but I was very relaxed. I briefly wondered if Eric would note anything about what I called him. To me everyone was 'honey', 'baby'. 'sweetie', and about 200 other pet names. He had originally found this amusing, but in a superior way. I think that was what everyone was to him: a silly/cute/boring little human.

I myself wondered if I began to use that word differently with him in this moment than I would have 2 days ago. Although such terms of endearment are said to lose their value if expressed and repeated constantly, there were always the slight voice inflections. I don't think I ever used the word 'honey' when referring to someone such as my niece as I did with anyone else in the world. And I knew when I addressed a lover as 'baby' it took on another tone and meaning.

I was suddenly beginning to regret taking his blood and giving him mine. Rather his vampiric hearing would note my tone and inflection or not didn't matter - he would know exactly what I was feeling.

"I can accept you working and going to school, but I'm your priority too." He said.

I nodded and knew regardless of him feeling my head bob or not, he was aware I agreed.

"And I don't want you to have sex with anyone but me."

For the most part this wasn't as issue. I generally didn't have more than one partner at once. and frankly, if I'm going to get fucked like I had been over the past two days, I'm not going to have the time or the interest in anyone else. Its not fair to have someone compete with man like Eric and when you sleep with a new partner you do compare them to your other ones. Its part of nature or something.

I felt the jealously bug, that little green monster rear up in me. Eric had a claim on me and I'm pretty sure it wasn't going to be a two way street.

"And you? Are you only going to fuck me?" I asked trying to keep my voice void of any revealing emotions.

He said nothing. I didn't know what I should feel, perhaps I should be happy he at least wanted to use his charm and some tact (which was a rarity with him most of the time) when he explained that he would keep nailing every fangbanger who enticed him.

I decided to make it easier.

"Fine. But don't rub it in my face." I couldn't help but show some anger. It wasn't all at him though. I was so mad at myself for getting close to someone like him.

"Are you jealous?" he asked amused. "I promise I'll _fuck_ you every night." he put emphasis on the word 'fuck', finding my choice of wording to worth some lighthearted mocking.

I said nothing and he tightened his grip on me, "I won't rub it in your face." he said quietly.

I took a deep breath and smiled. Better than what I thought I'd hear.

"Dina" He called my name softly. "I have to go. There are thing I need to do before dawn."

I turned and kissed him.

"Tomorrow?" I asked.

"Yes. I'll call you."

He got up, tugged his clothes on, and walked to the door. I stopped him as he turned the knob and turned my upper body toward him.

"Eric, you asked what I was after," I paused and his body tensed. "I'm after a new pair of pants to replace the ones you ripped."

I laid back down and turned so my back was to him once more. I didn't wait for his reaction, but I swear I felt* him relax before he left.


	5. Clarifications

I awoke the next day and was so happy to not have any classes. I still technically had to flip on my laptop for my online class, but I got to lay in bed hours later than usually and stay in my fuzzy robe the whole time. I sometimes wondered what heaven was like, I decided everyone has to get big, fuzzy robes there.

I finally got my punk ass in gear and logged on to the school website. Half a paper later, I heard a knock at the door. It was a FedEx Delivery man.

"Order for Dina Marie." I didn't remember ordering anything.

"That's me" I reached for the clip board and signed.

The box was rectangular and wrapped in that brown paper they used at the post office. There was a stamp that said 'first class', but no return address for me to see where it was from.

I sat on the couch and used my pen to rip the tape. It was a box from a clothing store at the mall. Inside were two pairs of black slacks to make up for my one ripped pair the night before. I pulled them out and saw something else under another layer of tissue paper. It was a piece of lacy cloth that was apparently considered underwear. How something that covers half your butt and no more of the front than is absolutely necessary is considered a piece of clothing is beyond me. Especially when this piece of fabric (I'm sorry, it's not clothing) cost about the same as a 3 pack of cotton panties on sale at Target. There was also a matching bra and a folded piece of paper I almost missed. It was a note from Eric.

Wear the underwear tonight.

Come to the bar as soon as you finish

your work, I'll be waiting

-E

I blushed. I wondered if anyone packing the box read the note. I didn't know if I could shop there again. Of course, Eric would have no embarrassment whatsoever.

I was not scheduled at the bar, but called to make sure I wasn't needed at the last minute. I planned to get there before they opened. Terry answered and said he didn't think anyone called off that night. I told him I had plans and wouldn't be home if anything changed before hanging up.

I ate lunch - okay I ate like a pig since I knew there was rarely any food at Fangtasia. I tried to cram about 3 meals into one sitting. I hoped in the shower. I covered my body in my Sugarcane and Water Lilly body wash. I shaved my legs and underarms. I hesitated before I started to shave my pubic area. I remember Eric making an off handed complaint about a fangbanger with a Brazilian wax. He said she looked like a child. (I did note however, that he still had sex and fed from her. I guess he was hungry and her breasts distracted him enough to get over any dislike he felt).

I decided to just shave my bikini area and anywhere I thought that piece of lace I was going to wear wouldn't cover. I scrubbed my hair and noted that I should dye it soon. I didn't have the time tonight.

I hoped out of the shower and wrapped myself in a towel. I dug through my closet. The bra and lace were both black with a bright blue trim. Eric might spend most of his time looking out for #1 (spelled E-R-I-C), but he knew what colors I liked. I found a pair of tight jeans that made my butt look awesome. I grabbed a pair of blue heels I pulled out for dress-up occasions. Yes, I was indeed a jeans and heels girl. I didn't exactly walk gracefully, but I had faith I wouldn't land on my face tonight. I found one of my neon blue tops that showed off a great deal of my breasts. I pulled my hair into a tight bun using some dinky plastic thing I bought at the As Seen On TV Store and left a few strands loose around my face.

I looked good. I hopped in the car as the sun set.

The bar was still closed so I knocked on the employee entrance in the back. Ginger opened the door and gave me a dirty look. She was never Eric's, he has too much taste for her to belong to him. I knew he fed from her and had sex with her. I also knew she believed I took him from her. Although she wasn't very smart she didn't bar my entrance and moved aside without a word as I walked in. I decided to take exception to her attitude. I straightened my back and walked right to Eric's office like I owned the place. Even the girls who regularly held some Eric's interest wouldn't do this.

I knocked on the door and was told to 'enter'. He sounded slightly surprised when he said this. I don't know if he felt me through my blood or smelled me through the door, but he defiantly thought I wouldn't be here this early.

His eyes glanced over me and smiled when he saw the top of the bra he sent me peeking out of my low cut shirt. I could see the lust in his eyes and suddenly started to feel my self get wet. God, when did I revert to a horny teenager?

I walked over to him and he grabbed my waist pulling me on his lap. I let out a small scream and he laughed. I was getting used to vampire speed, but I swear I didn't see his arm move at all. His fingers ran up my thigh.

"What's under these jeans, lover?"

"That piece of lace you gave me."

"Piece of lace? Do you think its too small?"

I nodded my head. "And I think you got ripped off"

"mmm..." He leaned down and smelled my neck before kissing me. I felt his fangs as he did so. "I'll decide that when I see you wearing it."

I went to kiss him and he stopped me. "I need to ask you something."

I was a little disappointed, but waited for him to speak.

"Did you have another more contact with those vampires?"

"None." And thank god for that.

He looked thoughtful for a moment.

"It would have been nice if you had gotten their names." he said almost absent mindedly.

I rolled my eyes

"Sorry, next time someone is trying to kill me, I'll photo copy their ID for you."

He looked at me with an unreadable expression.

"Why don't you go to the bar and a get a drink? I am going to have to spend a few hours here tonight before we leave. One of the vampires scheduled tonight called to say he would be late," a hint of irritation arose on his face. "I'll have to talk to him about this." He added as an after thought.

"Fine." I hopped off his lap and walked out. I knew he was watching my ass the whole time. The bar was beginning to fill up. Most of its inhabitants were vampires. I noticed ginger cozying up to a vampire sitting at the bar. Both of her hands were on him and she looked ready to jump into his lap. I rolled my eyes.

I kept walking the length of the bar, deciding I was too grossed out to go to the bar. Someone came up behind me.

"Hello there." he rasped in my ear. I flinched out of surprise. I turned toward him.

"Hello" I said back calmly.

"Can I buy you a drink?" His fangs were extended in what I assume could be described as a flirtatious manner. I could see someone like ginger melting over this display.

"No, thank you."

"Why not?" he asked, glancing at the marks on my neck.

"I'm taken." well, that didn't sound too bad. I've said I was taken while dating human guys. He took a step closer to me and I looked around to make sure I had a path open to walk away from him. I stopped Eric sitting down on his throne in the middle of the bar.

"None of the vampires here are half as good as I am. If you walk away from which ever one of your own free will, no one will care." He said very arrogantly. I was not feeling the slightest pull to be polite to this jackass.

"Sorry, I think Eric is much better." I figured this would get him to back off, but he only laughed.

"Eric doesn't keep humans. I don't think he's ever had one of yous under his protection."

"Well, you know what they say, after a few centuries you have to change things up a bit." I replied, my patience running thin.

"Prove it." He commanded me with his arms crossed over his chest. I hesitated for a split second. How would Eric respond to me in a crowded bar?

Would he find it degrading and below himself to accept me in front of everyone? Would it ruin the perception of him being available?

People didn't just come here to see vampires. They came to entice them and have sex with them. Unless you exclusively slept with women, Eric was the top prize; there was no one better, no one more coveted.

I watched the jackass vampire grin when he saw I didn't move right away. This incensed me. I squared my shoulders, turned, and walked as gracefully as I could toward Eric. I tried to catch his eye, hoping for some indication from him that I was doing the right thing. I wanted to be sure he would be receptive to me coming to him. I think I saw him glance at me, but it was so quick I couldn't be sure.

I hesitated as I came closer to the dais and now I was sure he saw me. When he didn't move I walked up to him. I decided that if I came this far I should go for it. I lowered myself, my arms falling on the armrests of his chair, and kissed him. I pulled back and he looked into my eyes. He didn't seem very happy.

"Who were you talking to?"

Oh no, he was going to get possessive. Yippy.

"Some vamp. He seemed less than believing that I was yours."

"Maybe I'll have him summoned to my office while I'm fucking you." he said evenly.

My eyes went wide. He was joking right?

"Eric." I said in a tone he'd probably never heard in his life. "Relax, he's not stupid enough to doubt me now. Even if he doesn't believe me, he won't risk it. That would be suicide."

"Maybe I shouldn't have sent you out here."

"Do you want me to go back?" He didn't answer, but turned his head. I watched Pam approaching us.

She said something to Eric in a language that I didn't understand.

"You're going to stay out here and Pam will tell you when I need you in my office." he told me.

"Why? What are we doing?" I asked a little confused.

I understood we were going to have sex tonight, but I knew that wasn't what he was talking about. I didn't know anything else was on our agenda.

"Tonight is going to be a night of clarification." He said, an accent I couldn't quite place coming out. He stood and left me standing there dumbstruck.

I wasn't exactly sure what to do so I walked over to the bar and ordered a drink. I listened to the music and noted that I wasn't just being left alone - I was being avoided.

I didn't really mind, but it was weird.

I had a ...special relationship with vampires. I knew Bill, Eric, Pam, and a few of the regulars at the bar. When some of them heard how Eric and I first met, they were warm toward me. I knew they were brutal and the ones whom were civilized were in the minority. But I looked at them as an animal/human hybrid.

I didn't hate bears for being predatory or wolves who could bond with people but were still feral. They were different, yet alike.

I got lost in my thoughts until Pam came up behind me.

"He's ready for you now."

We walked back to his office. She opened the door and I stepped in. Eric was sitting at his desk. He looked calm, but I could tell he was angry. Three of the four vampires from Merlottes were sitting on the opposite side of his desk. I saw a mixture of fear and rage on their faces. After my practice this night, I straightened my back and walked right to Eric. Without hesitation, I got on his lap and he kissed me.

I know it looked like a very real enthused tonsil hockey session between lovers, but it was truly dispassionate. He was too mad at the dimwitted trio and I was too unsure of what was going on to pay attention to one another's lips.

I got comfortable with my arms around his neck and his around my waist.

"Would yous like to explain what happened the other night at the shifter's bar?" He asked.

"We were just having some fun. No one has hurt" Said the female vampire who still looked like her make-up was put on by a circus clown. The other two nodded.

"What did you say to her? Which one of you approached her?"

The one who came toward me looked as pale as a vampire can be - that was pretty fucking pale.

"I told her I didn't believe she was yours." Said the one who approached me.

Eric said nothing and no three didn't say anything either. They were terrified and for good reason.

I lifted my finger and pointed at a guy with short hair sitting on the couch.

"He threatened to kill me."

His fangs popped out and I couldn't help but squeeze Eric's neck. His fangs came out as well. All three flinched and I noted that the other two stopped looking at the one who wanted me dead. I think they had decided to distance themselves from their 'friend' in the hopes they would live.

"So you three walked into a bar full of humans, caused trouble, refused to leave, threatened my human, and finally left?"

I turned toward him and he looked at me, signaling I should speak.

"Before I told them I was yours they wondered how you would find out about what they had done. They didn't think I could inform you."

He raised an eyebrow.

"So you three also assumed I'd miss a fight against mortals in my area? You doubt my ability to run my area?"

It crossed my mind for a second that not only did I get them into more trouble by pulling Eric's reputation into the mix, but they were probably going to be killed. I didn't really feel bad though - I know I should, but it just wasn't happening.

"Of course not, sheriff....we were just surprised to know you'd taken a human." Said the female vamp, but it was too late.

"Where is the other one? I was told four vampires were involved."

"He left." said the one on the couch.

"Where." Eric commanded more than asked.

"We don't know..." Eric looked at him impatiently. "Probably to Alabama. There is a nest there that would welcome him"

Eric looked thoughtful for a second before turning to me.

"Why don't you go back by the bar? We'll leave shortly."

I kissed him and got up to leave, he called to me as I walked away.

"Ask Pam to come in now as well."

I opened the door and Pam was already standing there with two humans carrying large bags and another vampire whom I didn't recognize. I decided to not think about what was about to happen, as they walked in and shut the door.

I walked around looking for someone I might know. I glanced the vampire who had hit on me earlier, once he saw me he turned away quickly. Now I was starting to feel lonely. Few vamps would look at me and nearly no human would either ; some were jealous of my display with Eric and others were too busy trolling for some fang to want to socialize.

I found a table and sat down, feeling out of place and very bored. I wished I would have brought a book to read.

Eric came up behind me and leaned down by my ear.

"Let's go lover."

He knew exactly what this would do to me.

We decided to take his car and leave mine by the bar. He told me he'd ask Bobby, his day-guy, to drive it back to my home tomorrow. He let me control the radio and I spent the ride jamming out.

We got out of the car and I found myself reaching for his hand. I really need to watch myself, I'm starting to get way too comfortable with him. I can deal with the sex, but holding his hand and getting cuddly is a sure fire way to have my heart smashed. Eric might change his habits by keeping a regular relationship with a human, but I don't (can't) expect him to do a complete 180 and get in touch with emotions that have laid dormant for hundreds of years.

I didn't want to waste anytime, I'd been lusting after him all night. My clit was aching. I lead him toward my room and started kissing him once we were in there.

He felt tense and I slowed down.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I'm angry." he said. I knew he was referring to the vampire who acted as a catalyst in me and Eric being together, as well as the one who flirted with me.

"Honey, I don't think I can deal with another session of angry sex even if you heal me." I said lightly.

"I'm not going to be....as rough. I'm just displeased."

"Let me make you feel better." I said coyly.

I pulled him over to the bed and began to undress him. I kissed each part of his skin I exposed as I disrobed him. My teeth scraped his neck, my tongue moved across his nipples and followed a trail to the top of his pants. I stripped him completely and ran my nails up his legs to his hips. I leaned forward from my kneeling position on the floor and flicked my tongue over his head making him groan. I traced the vein on the underside of his dick. I moved down and sucked the sensitive skin of his scrotum. His hands fell on my head and he loosed the bun so he could run his fingers through my hair. I enjoyed the release of pressure once my hair wasn't tightened against my scalp.

I decided to stop being so slow. My right hand balanced my body against the bed, my left wrapped around his base, and I took his head into my mouth. I moved my tongue and sucked him. His hands fisted in my hair. I slid my mouth down and found a pace with my hand.

After a few minutes he stopped me.

"I need to be inside of you. Now."

I shuddered and he yanked me to my feet. He pulled off my shirt and ran his fingers over my bra clad breasts. He unfastened it and tossed it to the ground. I kicked off my shoes and my jeans followed. His eyes scanned my body and looked over the underwear he bought me. He turned my body to look at my backside. Next thing I knew I was pushed to the bed. He got behind me and tugged the lace down to my knees. I felt him spreading my lips and he entered me in one thrust. I groaned and nearly came. His pace was fast and he was moaning. I knew we'd both finish fast and we did.

We caught our breath - okay Eric doesn't breathe, but he calmed down in his own vampire way. I kicked off the underwear and crawled into bed, under the covers. He followed me. Without having to ask he pulled me into his arms like I wanted him to. I shouldn't have wanted him to.

We laid there quietly.

"What's going to happen to those vamps?" I asked to break the silence and appease my curiosity.

"Pam is with them tonight and I will finish with them tomorrow. Would you like details?" He asked.

"No....just don't tell me." I said feeling some guilt.

"You've always been so softhearted. from the first time I met you." he mused.

"Yea, what did you think of me?" I always wondered this.

"I thought you were brave, but foolish to take on a group of fellowship members to save a vampire. I was grateful you did so - as was the vampire you saved, of course. your reactions intrigued me." He paused. "I wasn't surprised to learn Sookie was your friend. you two are very different, but not entirely"

"As in only she would understand my "soft hearted" conflicted nature?" I asked not feeling as insulted, as I probably should by Eric's view of me.

"Yes." he said quietly and I knew he was in deep thought.

I felt a little uncomfortable and decided to keep talking.

"What ever happened to that guy?"

"He moved. The fellowship isn't as prevalent the farther north you travel. I can't blame him."

I nodded. I knew I had to leave him with his thoughts, even if it perturbed me. I closed my eyes and began to drift off to sleep.

I awoke the next day with a note on my nightstand. Eric said he may be too busy to see me tonight but he would call if he had time. I didn't even wake up when he arose to write this note and leave before dawn.

I paused for a moment and thought to myself, I was just fucked into one of the deepest sleeps I'd ever have.

It was an amusing thought to begin my day with.


	6. Little Game

**Okay, here is another chapter. It's a bit fluffy. I've been under a massive amount of stress with a ton of drama. Some of this story is finally coming together and I have some of the future parts out lined. I'm having a few issues since the show charters and book characters are blending together in my head. It will eventually come together.**

**I appreciate any reviews or suggestions. Hopefully I can get back to updating regularly if I can find a little luck, a little less stress, and some inspiration.**

I was on the move from the time I rolled out of bed. I went to some classes and starting typing a paper. I grabbed some lunch and made a few phone calls – both business and personal. I went home and changed into my uniform for work.

I walked in and had Danielle weave past me calling out along the way,

"Hey Dina, can you get more ketchup bottles our on tables 2,5, and 7? Thanks."

I was happy it wouldn't be a slow or boring night. I saw Terry moving around in the kitchen, Tara pouring drinks, and the other waitresses (Danielle, Arlene, and some floater – Jenny, Jenna, Jaime?) carrying trays and bouncing table to table. The floater could leave now since I was here. I didn't interrupt her while she was at her table. I swooped into on tables 2,5, and 7, grabbing their (near) empty bottles and power walking to the back.

I started filling them and Sam came up behind me.

"Dina, I wanted to ask you something." He paused. "About the …bite marks."

I turned to him.

"Sam, I'm sorry. I have to keep them uncovered ; for my protection."

He looked at me. A few emotions crossed his face – pensive, suspicious, angry, calm…

"You think those vampires are going to be back?"

I hesitated. "No."

I decided not to tell him that they'd never bother anyone again. That 3 of them were finally dead and were probably hurt worse than anything they would have done to me. Sam didn't need to know that Eric was not only protecting me, but had taken care of the threat to me and his area.

"You know you are gaining a whole new set of enemies. Some of those Fellowship guys are in here tonight, they won't be happy with seeing those."

I curled my lip in disdain.

"I just have to keep them uncovered until Eric tells me otherwise. I trust his judgment in these matters."

The Fellowship would hate me anyway – I supported the AVL, I was bisexual, pro-choice, a feminist…being with a vamp only added to what was already there.

Sam opened his mouth and closed it. He kept his eyes on me as he struggled to find words that wouldn't offend me.

"Eric knows a lot of vampire politics. But d you trust him? With your safety?"

I started to answer, to tell him 'yes'. That Eric was my best bet for being safe and that I did trust him. Sam continued before I could reply.

"He might keep you safe from others. But are you safe from him. I know…I know he can be, sadistic."

He said trying to be mild.

_Like when he tortures people to death. Or when we have rough sex and I'm covered in bite marks and bruises_, I thought to myself.

"Eric is also very loyal." Sam looked incredulous.

"Do you think that loyalty extends to you?"

This was a good question. I was he always going to be less loyal since I was human? Was I more his Happy Meal than anything else?

When Sam saw my hesitation, he shook his head and touched my should kindly before walking away. I mutter a nice f-bomb under my breathe and went back to work.

I took a few orders. I imagined how Sookie much feel having to hear people's thoughts or use most of her energy to block them out. I read the body language and saw the distain for over my fang marks. I dealt with it as best I could, but it was Arlene who finally set me off.

You know that feeling when someone is talking about you behind your back? I had it all night. I watched her lean close to a few people at the bar and look at my face for the briefed second.

My tables were mostly cared for and I walked to the bar.

"Hi Arlene? What cha talking about?" I smiled in a fake friendly manner.

"Oh nothing…just a little of this. Little of that." She let out a small social laugh.

I decided to just let it all out.

"Ah, its so nice to just chit chat. I don't know how your dating life is going, but I'm so happy!" I gushed.

She looked disgusted.

"oh...that's great."

"Ya know, its so great to have someone be so attentive. We see each other every night." I leaned in close. "and the sex is a-maze-ing!"

I was pushing all her buttons.

"And you know what? I've heard some people murmuring about him. Its so silly. If anyone has any questions, I'm right here." An expression of guilt crossed her face. "I know my friends would always come to me and not engage in …. Uncivilized bar-talk."

I gave her a fluffy smile and walked away.

I walked past my tables and asked if anyone needed anything. Everyone was fine so I pulled out my phone and texted Eric to see what time he'd see me. I took a quick bathroom break and was feeling very good about myself now.

It didn't last. A table in my section filled up with FotS members. I could tell by the shirt on the first guy who took his seat in the booth. People like them generally can't be around people who aren't members of this cult. I grimaced, straightened my outfit, and walked over to the table. Time to go to work, no matter who I'm working with.

I walked over with four menus in my hand. I decided to play it cool and put them on in the middle of the table. I could imagine them refusing to take them from me or even being brash enough to rip them from my grip.

"Can I start you off with any drinks?" I smiled.

Their faces showed the tell tale signs of disgust and rage. I kept mine somewhere between content and impassive as this little face off went on. It was probably less than a minute, but it felt like an hour.

"We'd like a new waitress."

Okay that wasn't the worst thing that could happen by any means.

I still wasn't happy though.

"Fine. Move to a different section." I smiled and walked away.

I heard Terry yell "Order Up!" and I walked over to grab the food for one of my tables.

As my hands grabbed the plates, Terry's hand was placed next to mine.

"Don't let them bother you." He looked thoughtful and strained, the way he always looked on the rare occasions when he talked with people. "People with no lives make a life out of judging and messing with others."

Before I could reply he turned and went back to cooking. I was very surprised and touched that he'd say this to me.

I dropped the plates at the table and walked to the wall near the bar. I checked my phone. Eric had sent me a text saying he'd be late, probably after midnight. I sighed. My shift was almost over and I was feeling burnt out. I decided I was too lazy to cook and would eat here before I left.

I handled the last of my tables and placed an order with Terry for myself. I parked at the bar which was all but empty. Jane, of course, was here still. She had no interest in bothering me as I ate.

I took my plate back to the kitchen and grabbed my coat to leave. Sam caught me before I reached the door and pulled me into a hug. He sighed against the side of my head, like he was stopping himself from saying something he wanted to express to me before I took off. I pulled away.

"Bye, Sam."

I drove home and settled on the couch in my jams. I watched a movie and snacked. I drank some coffee when my eyes got heavy. I wanted to stay awake until he got here. If I went to sleep now, he might have a hard time waking me and I'd be so groggy.

I felt my self dosing off and bolted up. I paced back and forth through the house for a few to stay awake.

About ten minutes later, near 1:30, Eric walked in.

Without any introduction, he hung his coat up and kicked his shoes off.

"I was getting tired. Almost fell asleep." I said to his back.

"I told you I'd be late." He said flatly.

I was taken back. I couldn't place my finger on it, but he was colder than usual. Detached. Annoyed. Very dispassionate.

'I know." I said raising my eye brow.

He sat on the couch next to me. I didn't move and watched his nose flare. He came closer to me, his face pressed by my carotid artery, and he smelled me.

"You smell like shifter." He said with distain.

"I'm around shifter at work." I said evenly.

He looked at me with his eyes narrowed, before turning his head away from me. I was getting worried about his mood. Why was he acting like this?

"So…what are we doing tonight?"

He turned and extended his fangs. "I haven't fed all night."

He closed in to get at my throat. I pulled away.

"Maybe I don't want to be a happy meal tonight." I decided to try something new.

He looked at me with a perplexing look on my face. "Why don't I get you a Tru Blood?"

"You expect me to drink that stuff, when you are here?" he asked incredulously, his fangs retracted.

I fought from smiling and stood up. "Yeah. Why not? It's just as good."

His disbelieving look didn't change. I decided to let my smile peek out.

"I've only got A-, that okay?" This was my blood type. I wonder if it was perverse for me to buy my own type just in case Eric ever needed more than I could give?

I began to wonder if anyone ever teased Eric. Pam could probably get a way with it and she did have a sense of humor. But judging by his expression, he had no idea what to make of this.

"I came here for you, not that bottled substitute."

"No." I said coyly.

"No?" he asked, his right eyebrow raised.

I shook my head and turned to run down the hall. I hoped this would show him what I was planning.

He followed me. I think he finally caught on to this little game I started.

I neared my room. Suddenly I was grabbed from behind, pushed into my room, and tossed on my bed. Before I could react I had a Viking on top of me, grabbing my face to turn my head, and heard the familiar sound of a hungry vamp getting ready to feed.

I let out a muffled scream when he bit me. It was painful. But slightly exciting.

I was getting very aroused.

He finished and looked down at me and smiled.

I couldn't help but smile back. He wasn't however-in-the-hell he was before and I was so glad for it.

"I want something now."

He had a cocky look on his face. He pressed his hips into mine and I felt his erection. I pursed my lips to smother my moan.

"No problem lover."


	7. Naked Things and Gifts

**Okay....I know I haven't updated in a while. I'm getting back on track. promise.**

**I didn't really like this chapter. I had to force it. but here it is. I have a few plans for the future with this fic, but I'm still struggling a bit. reviews are always welcome. as are suggestions**

**I know I all but abandoned my other fic, which only needs one more part before I finish it. its in the back fo my head and I'll get to it soon.**

**I've had some friends assit me with my fics and my ideas. I've also had some ask me to pull out my old stories and repost them as well as finish them. I'll have to think about that. I've been battign around the idea of another story for a little while, I hate to put up new stories before I finsih old ones but at least if I get stuck on one, I have another to go to. **

**just so everyone knows, I'm still here and will keep updating. it just might take a while.**

I was on my side, my head laying on Eric's stomach giving him what I dubbed, The Lazy Blow Job. It was one of my favorite things. Its nice to relax, lay down, and just make him feel nice without a lot of effort. I wasn't trying to make him cum and he didn't seem to mind just enjoying the sensations. I don't think many other women did this to him. He seemed a little uneasy at first, but was now stroking my hair and shoulders. I was getting used to the odd taste. My tongue moved away from his cock and traced the inside of my mouth which was still coated with a small layer of his blood from our last romp. It was mixed with the saltiness of his pre-cum. It was an interesting blend to say the least. I went back to his dick, stroking his base lightly with my hand and sucking his head.

We'd spent a good hour and a half having sex over and over again. I was mortal and very used to taking a few minute resting periods between bouts of sex. Eric didn't know the meaning of the term 'refractory period'.

I was enjoying myself. This is what worried me. Sometimes sex is very intimate, sometimes going down on someone is far more intimate than just plain old sex, and sometimes neither are very intimate at all. But this – resting against his cool body, my hands, my mouth, my tongue rolling over him, his fingers idly touching me – this was intimate. I was getting too close to him.

I don't know if he felt my worry, my conflicting feelings, but I felt his hand stop moving. I wasn't going to talk about this now. I knew exactly what I'd say if he started the conversation though:

'Eric I'm falling for you. You still have sex with trash from your bar when we're apart, but your cold body and icy demeanor have warmed my heart!'

That would just be dandy.

I decided to distract him by sucking his tip into my mouth hard and gripping his shaft. He moaned. I lifted my head and repositioned my body. I kept sucking him as a hard as I could, my hand rocked up and down, as my thumb rubbed his engorged vein. I twisted my hand in a semi circle and loosened my lip-lock on his cock. I started to use my tongue on him once more. Eric groaned.

"Stop." He gave my hair a very light tug.

I pulled away and looked up at him.

"I have to go soon. Can you cum fast for me?"

I shuddered. Eric pushed me back and I shimmed up the bed. I opened my legs and bent my knees. He grabbed a pillow, understanding his intentions, I lifted my hips for him to slide it under me. His arms went under my knees and wrapped around my thighs. I reached down to guide him into me. He wasted no time and started to thrust hard, gripping my legs as if they were handles on a rollercoaster ride.

I did cum fast. And more than once.

Eric followed a few minutes after my first climax. His head dropped low, like his deep growl, and swung back up. His hair looked amazing during his orgasmic head bang. He dropped my legs. He fangs were fully bared as he looked down at me. I was breathing hard and pushing my own hair out of my eyes.

"Do you work tomorrow?" I shook my head. "Come to the bar."

He retracted his fangs and moved off the bed. I shut my eyes from exhaustion.

I wish I could say I had an easy day ; That my phone didn't go off at 8:00am after Eric had kept me up until a half-hour before sunrise, that I wasn't having problems with my paper work at school, and that I wasn't running around for hours without enough coffee. But that was my day.

Around 10am I saw the post man had left a note on my door saying my box was too heavy to be delivered and I'd have to go pick it up myself. This box was from my aunt who had left me 10 voice mails in the past 3 days asking if I had gotten it yet. I hoped if it was that heavy someone would help me put it in the car. I called her to say I was on my way to pick it up and tried to avoid her questions about what I had been doing. I wasn't ashamed of Eric per se, but I didn't want to get into it. I was feeling the pangs of a truth I'd been ignoring – I was with a vampire who my family wouldn't like, who wouldn't like family very much himself, and who wouldn't ever complete the romantic fairytales that rattled in my head since childhood.

I pushed these thoughts, these terrible truths, from my mind and pulled on a casual outfit. I got my box, replied to all my messages, and handled the other stupid things that fell on me all at once. I grabbed some fast food on the way home and ate with the TV playing some sitcom in the background.

The sun was setting and I hopped into my car. I was looking forward to seeing Eric. I had to accept that fact. I was also very sleepy. I wonder if the bar served coffee…that's how tired I am, I'm actually considering the possibility that Fangtasia might have coffee. I shook my head and kept driving.

I got ot the bar and parked my car in the back, right next to a red sports car. BLDSKR. Yeah, that's exactly what the driver was alright.

I knocked on the door and some vampire I didn't know answered. He was a dark skinned man, in a business-casual outfit. He didn't say anything but inhaled deeply.

"Eric is in his office." He stepped aside and I took this as my cue to start moving. I was wary at this point. I was tired and knew it was hard for me to process things at the moment, so I reminded myself to not get too anxious over anything. But this situation was defiantly perturbing. He smelled me – let me repeat this because people around vamps and the two natured often forget how weird this is – he smelled me, and sent me to Eric's office.

I walked there and yawned twice along the way. I knocked and heard him tell me to come in. He was sitting on his couch in a pair of tight jeans and a Fangtasia T-shirt. It was tight and black. Although his arm obstructed part of it, across his chest was FANGTASIA, with a wavy line drawn under it. The back, of course, read "The Bar with a Bite". He was holding his Blackberry in one hand with his thumb moving across the keypad. He paused to look up at me after I shut the door.

"You're wearing that…to Fangtasia?" He asked taking in my outfit.

"Nice to see you too Eric, I'm doing well. Thanks for asking." I said in a semi-sweet voice and held back another yawn.

He said nothing and kept looking at me. I began to move toward the couch – I knew it would feel so good to sit down and let me body mold itself to the cushions. Its really energy draining to be on your feet. People don't realize this until they are tired and moving around.

"I came here for you, not to hang out at some bar."

I sat beside him.

"You came in khakis and a blue t-shirt with a..." He turned to look at me. "Is that a peace sign?"

"I think you are suppose to tell me I look nice."

He ignored my comment.

"Hand me that pillow."

Although he didn't say it in a commanding voice, I noted he didn't see anything wrong just telling me to do something. And he never thought to consider I may not like this and I might not do as he said. I handed it to him anyway.

He placed it on his lap and patted it with his hand. "Lie down."

I was surprised and put my head on his lap. I decided to not be angry about him not asking, but telling me, to hand him the comfy pillow I was now using. His hand rested casually on my shoulder and I heard his phone beep. He must have finished with it, because I felt his body shift as he placed it on the table next to him. He started to tug my scruncci out of my hair and I moved my head so he could loosen my hair. I sighed when his fingers began to run through my wavy locks.

"That makes you very happy, doesn't it?" He asked me.

"Yep."

"Why are you so tired?"

"I got woken up too early and was very busy. I'll wake up though" I stifled a yawn. "What are we doing tonight?"

I kinda hoped we weren't going to just sit here and go have sex. I was actually fine with the sex – wanted it to happen every night as a matter of fact – but I hoped we could do something more than hump and feed.

"What do human girls like to do?" I almost laughed. Before I could answer there was knock on the door.

"Enter."

One of his waitresses came in with a smile on her face. It vanished when she saw me.

"Why is she here?" she huffed, indignantly.

I figured most women who worked here were stupid. This wasn't a bias against people who worked in bars (obviously) or even people who liked vampires (once again, obviously), but these girls were all after Eric and the other vampires who came in here for fun and meals. They dreamt of love, devotion, and being treated like they were special if they gained the attention of the right vampire. That wasn't going to happen.

I had a hard time explaining how her voice sounded – not quite valley girl, but very Clueless. I couldn't help myself. I was irritated as hell.

"Because I'm like so totally his." I said sitting up. She glared at me and I stared back with an annoyed look on my face. Eric paused before saying:

"What do you want?"

She hesitated before looking away from me. "I'm here to tell you that the shipments are here and awaiting your inspection, master." She said and bowed her head.

"Tell Pam she can check them for me." She stood there unmoving with her hands folded behind her back. "Yes Master."

She looked up to glare at me once more.

"Okay, now leave." I regretted this once I said it. I wasn't exactly in the position to order around Eric's staff. I wasn't concerned that he's be angry about me telling someone who works for him what to do, but that I had just undermined his authority. Eric wouldn't be pleased with me if he interpreted it this way.

"You can't tell me to do that!." She hissed. I paused for one second and Eric said nothing, nor did he move from his comfortable position next to me. I took this as my green light.

"Yes I can, because we're going to do naked things now!"

Her eyes went wide and she took a step forward. Eric stopped this little battle from going further.

"Leave" She went to open her mouth but stopped her self. She turned and walked away.

"Close the door" I yelled.

After it shut I turned back to Eric. He looked at me for a second and laughed.

"We're going to do...naked things?"

"ugh..Errric!" I whined and buried my face in his chest. I was embarrassed. I sounded so silly.

"Oh no, I like these naked things. When do we begin?" He asked.

"C'mon I was just trying to shut her up." I looked at him, wanting to forget how foolish I sounded with her.

"You need to learn to control that big mouth of yours. Too late now." He said and pulled me on his lap. I gasped as I ended up straddling him. His hands roughly ran down my arms to my legs. I put my hands on his chest and he began to kiss my neck. I tried to life my body and he pressed me down on my lap. I ground his hips against mine and reached up to massage my tits.

"Eric, stop." He kept kissing. "I don't want to."

He paused and looked at me. I sat there staring back at him. What the hell was he trying to figure out?

"You really are jealous aren't you?"

I looked away for a second. I was and I was so ashamed of myself. I was getting close enough, being stupid enough, and actually feeling hurt that he was giving his attentions to others. God this was a bad idea. Eric could be half/half with me, but I was going to fall hard for him no matter what.

He kissed me again and I jerked away.

"Dina….I haven't slept with her in weeks." I looked at him doubtfully…okay maybe hopefully as well. Damn it. I could kick myself.

"That's why she came in here just now. She wanted to see me and offer herself to me. I don't need to be notified every time an order comes in."

"You mean it? weeks?" I asked him quietly.

"Yes." He leaned in and I kissed him. I was being silly and I did want to have sex with him. Part of me also hoped that bitch would know exactly what I'm doing with him right now and would see me when I left here.

Eric wasn't in the mood to play and pushed me off his lap. I stood up and he started to undo his pants. "Take yours off." He said and I began to pull mine off as well.

I was naked from the waist down and his cock was hard and ready for me. He grabbed my hand and pulled me toward him. We reached down to guide him into me. I sighed with pleasure after impaling myself on him. I found a pace riding him. My nailed dug into his shoulders as his hands went back to kneading my breasts and pinching my nipples. His fangs scraped across my throat and he kiss me.

"Eric…Eric…" I was going to cum hard and fast. I could feel it building.

"Cum for me lover. Do it." He commanded. I bounced on him faster and started moaning. I was about to climax when he bit into me. I screamed and came as my blood flowed into his mouth. I slowed down and he bucked his hips up to find his own release. His hands squeezed my waist and he slammed me down on his cock over and over. He pushed his body close to mine and began to suck hard at the wound on my throat. He pushed me all the way down and I felt him cum inside me. His arms wrapped around me and he began to lick my wound until it closed. I leaned against him until my body relaxed.

"I think everyone heard you scream." He said happily.

"Shut up." I said less than happy.

He chuckled. "Get dressed. I want to ask you about something."

I stood and pulled my clothes on. Its weird to have sex with someone, but feel very exposed when you have on less clothes than they do. Eric had seen every inch of me and I'd had him completely naked in my bed before, yet while I pulled my clothes back on and he only tucked himself back into his pants, I felt so naked. I was almost embarrassed. I felt myself blush. Eric didn't even seem to notice.

I sat back on the couch.

"What's up?"

He hesitated. I tilted my head. Eric wasn't one to hesitate. He was very observant and analytical. He could even be laconic at times, but he looked slightly uncertain.

"You are aware of the issues I've had…with Sookie." I nodded. "Are you going to be angry about getting gifts from me? See it as an insult?"

I thought about that carefully. I didn't want Eric to buy things for me just because or in an attempt to keep me content. I wasn't going to feel like it was payment for sex. I'm a poor college student, I'm used to having to let the person in the relationship who actually had a good job and isn't thousands in debt pay for dates. This does take some getting used to though.

"You can give me gifts. But you don't have to. I don't need them." I paused. "Maybe on holidays. I'll be offended if you skip my human holidays."

He nodded and looked relieved.

"What do you want?"

"Now?" he nodded. "Nothing."

"Dina."

"How about a big screen TV?" I smiled. I hoped he would let this go.

"Now you are joking."

"I don't know…throw in some new DVDs and maybe I'll be serious."

"DVDs." He stood and walked to his desk.

I sat there confused. He opened his laptop and began to type on the keyboard.

I walked around to stand beside him. He clicked his Internet Explorer icon.

"Sit." He leaned back and I got on his lap.

He went to began to look through the new DVD releases.

"What do you like?"

"Eric..."

"Don't argue. Answer me."

"Search for my wish list."

He found the lists tab and typed in my name. He began to roll through my list without saying a word. He clicked to add one of my DVD choices to his cart.

"Can't we do this another day?" He said nothing and kept scanning my list.

"Are you going to watch these with me? That's what human girls like you know, their partners to watch movies with them."

"I'm getting books too…hey why don't you try that 'new and used' they are cheaper." He clicked to buy it straight from Amazon anyway.

"Hey we could have got that for 3 dollars cheaper! And from a store with 'holistic' in its name. you know how I feel about being holistic."

My tone was light. I sounded amused, but was starting to wonder how I could get him to talk.

"How many are you going to buy? You have an eternity and are your own boss, but I don't know if I have time to watch them all." His cursor kept moving across the screen.

"I'm ignoring you." He said.

Well at least he was honest. Human guys just pretend to listen and you sit there wasting your breath. I watched his selections and was a little dismayed to see the total cost at checkout. I knew I couldn't argue and win so I left it alone.

He closed everything up and turned his computer off.

"Do you want to go home now?" He asked me.

"You coming with?"

"Of course."

We stood up and walked out. I didn't see my new favorite Fangtasia employee on the way out, but was glared at none-the-less as I walked out of the bar on Eric's arm.


	8. Date Bites

okay here is another chapter, this one is still focusing on bonding. The next chapter should have some action in it.

I wanted to thank everyone who gave me a review and make sure they know I read them as soon as they are posted. I wanted to mention my grammar isn't great, its not my strong suit and isn't always a priority. I try to make sure every thing can be read despite errors I may have missed. I also want to point out that this story is told from Dina's point of view, everything that is written comes out of her head and her thoughts (except for the dialogue). If I were to mark her thoughts with a different font, everything but the conversations she has would be marked.

I'm still batting around ideas for other fics and am mapping out some ideas here and there. I haven't completly forgot about Dead But Alive, but its slipped from my priorities.

As I said I'm very open to feedback, so feel free to review or send me a message :)

We were laying there after another amazing round of mattress dancing. God, I loved vampires. if I was ever unsure, I'm not now. he never got tired, always seemed to know what to do and what I wanted, and didn't seem to think it the least bit crazy or unrealistic to want sex at least once a day (if not more. we both wanted on more.)

I had my head on his chest and his arm was draped over me. he was quiet and I wondered if he was in his 'down time', but he let out a sigh when I began tracing a pattern around his shoulder with my nails.

"You don't do this often do you?" I asked him, feeling confident in the answer.

"I'm a vampire, not an imbecile. I know women like to be held after mating."

I wasn't in love with him grouping all women together, myself included, but didn't say anything. He wasn't trying to be offensive and I wasn't complaining about being held. but I told myself I shouldn't like it too much.

He still didn't answer my question. I could tell from his surprise the other day he wasn't use to just being touched and pleasured with ease. I'm sure most women put on a porn star act for him.

"That doesn't answer my question."

He paused. "Not really. I've never had a pet before."

His arm tensed as he realized his mistake of word choice.

"Did you just call me a pet?" I asked angrily.

"Its only an expression." He said evenly. "I don't treat you like a pet. I gave you my blood."

I pondered this for a moment. I knew this wasn't an everyday thing. I wasn't 100% sure of the significance.

"Kinda a big deal, huh?" I said eloquently.

"Yes. In...probably 300 years I've only given my blood to three women." He said as he played with my hair.

"Who?" I asked.

"You, Pam, and Sookie."

I felt a ping of jealousy. I didn't care about Pam, after this many centuries if he was in love with her they would have made some commitment by now. I wondered if they had sex or not. I was trying to accept that he had sex with other people. I reminded myself that his need for sex was similar to his need for blood. But I couldn't help but note that he was 1000 years old and didn't hunger as much as most vamps nor did he have the impulses of a newborn. He could also come to me.

I think it was Sookie that was my biggest sore spot. I didn't know how he felt about her. I hoped his feelings were only infatuation, competitiveness , and admiration for her. I didn't want him to actually love her. I didn't want to lie in bed with him and have him wish I was her or wish that he could change places with Bill.

"Why did you give me your blood?" I asked without thinking. Did I really want to go down this path?

"I just did." He said a little too quickly. I wondered if he'd been thinking about this and decided he wasn't going to answer me truthfully. I can't read his mind and I can never seem to get a good read on him or other vamps, but I'm not stupid.

I thought about something, but wanted to phrase it nicely. I struggled with my words and decided to just say and be honest.

"Eric, I don't want this to bother you...don't be mad for me asking" His hand stilled. "Would you ever treat me...the way some vampires do humans?"

He was silent for a moment before putting his hand on my arm over his chest. I propped myself up and turned to look at him.

"When we are with humans, I'll act as human as possible."

"Because of appearances." I qualified his statement.

"Yes." I could tell he wasn't thrilled about this. "You've seen how I treat you at the bar. that won't change."

I nodded

"And around other vampires....we'll address that when it happens."

This made me slightly nervous. I could tell this meant we would not only stop acting human, but I wouldn't be treated with the same respect I received at Fangtasia.

I was grateful for that. Truly I was.

"Thank you for how you act toward me at the bar. I was nervous you wouldn't like how I approached you that night."

He looked thoughtful. "I know, I could feel how fearful you were. Has anyone bothered you since?"

"No"

"How about at the shifter's? You come to me smelling like human, like many humans, I trust they know better than to get," He paused to find a good word. "friendly?"

"Yes. apparently your marks." I touched my throat. "repel both humans and vampires."

"Good." He smiled and said feeling very pleased.

Possessive nut. I rolled my eyes.

"About these," My fingers moved back to his fang impressions. "Can I start covering them now?"

"Why?"

"They don't look professional. Eric don't take offense. I don't care if everyone knows I'm with you."

"Fine. I'm going to bite your thigh again, those I will not heal and they will always be covered unless we are in bed together. I like having physical proof of me on you."

I looked at him with a sour face. "You like marking your territory."

Yes" He laughed, not the least bit contrite about what he said or how it might make me feel. He flipped us over so he was on top of me.

His lips touched mine and moved to my right cheek, down my chin, across to my left cheek, and back to my lips. His tongue moved across my mouth and his fangs pushed into my skin when he kissed me. His mouth didn't move off of mine until I couldn't take being deprived of air any longer.

"I like you identifying yourself as my territory." He smiled.

"Eric!"

Damn it. I didn't mean it to come out that way. He apparently didn't want to listen to me yell or clarify as he moved down my body to settle between my thighs.

It felt somewhat unnerving to just have him stare at me. It reminded me of The Vagina Monologues. Apparently, Eric liked to look. And smell and taste and touch. If other parts of my body besides my mouth spoke, he'd probably listen.

He placed his hand on the junction of my hip and trailed downward. His index finger went right over my artery. His fangs were poking out from behind his lips.

"Watch me." He commanded.

His eyes locked mine. I began to breathe hard. I was anticipating his bite, his touch, and wondering what he was going to do. His gaze was intense and I could feel how happy he was.

He gave me one last look and the next thing I felt was his fangs diving into my skin. I couldn't hold back and a high pitched noise of pain came out of my mouth. I pressed myself back on the bed and fisted my hands in my blankets. He was sucking on my skin hard, harder than he had to. He picked a very sensitive artery and I knew my blood would be flowing strong. He didn't just want his fang marks on me, he wanted a nice deep hickey and to bruise my skin with his teeth.

He moved his fingers over my lips, teasing me. I moaned and bucked my hips. His index finger slid inside me.

"Eric." I breathed.

He slowly stopped feeding and began to close my wound with his saliva. He moved his head and pulled his finger out of me. His tongue began to run back and forth over me. Grazing my clit until I withered under him and whined. He kept teasing me.

I suddenly felt something different - a sharp sting in one of my most sensitive areas. He paused and drug his fangs over my labia. I gasped. He grabbed a tight hold of my legs and did it again. And again.

He stopped grabbed my hips, pulling my legs over his shoulders, flicked his tongue over my clit and pressed his canines into my hood. It hurt but I didn't tell him to stop.

His hands grabbed my ass and he gripped me hard. His mouth went back to work, quickly alternating between scratching me, licking me, sucking my lips, my clit, and nipping my skin with great carefulness. His hands worked my butt and thighs. I wondered if I'd bruise from how tight he squeezed me.

The sensations were overwhelming. It felt so good ; it hurt so much. I didn't know if I was moaning pain or pleasure half the time.

He stopped and pushed my legs away and repositioned himself to enter me.

His eyes caught mine and he thrust his full length into me all at once. I groaned and my body lifted off the mattress.

I was very tender and his thrusts were painful. It still felt good to have him inside me. My body was so torn between the pain and pleasure. I couldn't keep track of the noises I was making - yelps, groans, moans, sigh, gasps...

"Tell me you're mine." Eric commanded and ground his hips against mine.

"I'm yours."

His handed moved between us to touch me. His pace slowed and I adjusted to the sensations.

"Bite me." He said to me.

I leaned forward and nipped his shoulder. I looked at him and saw his disapproval. He wanted me to break the skin. I couldn't do that. Partially because of how dull my teeth were and because I was scared to hurt him. I know that's ridiculous, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

He bit his wrist and put it to my lips. I fed from him and pressed my teeth into his skin. He moaned and his thrusts increased once more. He was going to cum.

His body went rigid before relaxing. He cried out in a language I didn't know.  
His weight pressed down on me for a moment before he rolled over beside me.

I caught my breathe and thought about what just happened - I'd never done anything like that before. but I liked it. I didn't know how I felt about liking it however.

He sat up and looked at my thigh. An unhappy look crossed his face. His blood had healed the majority of the marks he left on me. I was sure my neck would be clear, I no longer felt the same pain between my legs as I did a few minutes ago, and (looking down myself) I only had a very faint discoloration on my leg.

He had apparently given me more blood than he thought he did.

"Dina." he said.

I sighed, leaned back, and spread my legs wide for him.

I caught him smile before he bit into the other thigh. Same as last time, it hurt. But I was prepared. He took very little of my blood, but kept his fangs imbedded in my skin. He gave me another hickey that included some scrapes and nibbles from his teeth.

He stopped and looked at my leg. It didn't darken up yet so I don't know how he knew it wasn't up to par. He went back to sucking and biting my skin.

It dawned on me that he probably knew how bruises formed and how they would look later on. Boy, that was a lovely thought to have in my head.

He pulled back once more, looked, and nodded his head approvingly. He moved up and kissed my lips.

"Go to sleep. I'll be here tomorrow."

"Okay." I said and laid back to go to sleep. I pulled my blankets up. It felt as though I was missing saying something. If he was a friend of mine, I'd probably say I loved him. But I couldn't allow myself to say the words in even a friendly, non- IN love way.

I had a feeling one day it would be in an IN love way, rather I liked it or not....

The next day was very typical. I briefly wondered if it was truly as monotonous as I thought it was or if spending my nights with a vampire had risen my standards for what was interesting.

I was very tired so when I got home I left a note for Eric to wake me and fell into bed. I had to have fallen asleep in minutes. It was one of those moments where you don't even remember falling asleep when you are woken up.

Eric's hand was on my shoulder and his lips were right by my right ear.

"Wake up. I'm here."

I forced my eyes open.

"Hey." I said softly and yawned.

"Do you want to go back to sleep?" He asked.

"No...No, just give me a minute to move. And wake up."

I stretched out rubbed my eyes.

He sat there on the edge of my bed. There was no way I was moving without coffee. Damn, caffeine addiction!

"Why don't you wait for me in the living room? I'm going to take a minute."

He nodded and kissed my cheek.

I went to the bathroom, did my business, splashed water on my face, and ran my tooth brush over my teeth. I had a bad case of middle of the night breath - which was even worse than morning breath.

I got my coffee and sat next to Eric on the couch.

"Did you see what was in your hall way?" He asked.

I thought and couldn't remember if I looked or not. I didn't have anything in particular jump out at me when came in. I shook my head.

He reached over and pulled out a box.

"Its not all of them I'll have to see why they split the order." He didn't sound pleased.

"Eric it happens. This came very fast." I started opening the box.

"You would like us to watch one of these movies?" He asked, sounding like I brought up the strangest and most foreign concept he'd ever heard when we ordered these the other night.

"Yep. Can I pick?" I asked politely, not that it mattered since I liked everything he ordered.

"Sure."

I pulled out the one I wanted and he took it from my hand. A look of surprise and then incredulousness and finally disappointment fluttered across his face.

"Are you serious?" He looked at me.

I put on the dorkiest, biggest smile I could muster and nodded my head.

He muttered something in a language that was not English. I laughed and grabbed the box from him. I ran to the kitchen to get some snacks and he didn't seem to bothered by this.

I was munching away on my popcorn when he reached for my wrist. I caught his eye and knew what he was silently asking. I nodded. He pulled my arm toward his mouth and bit.

It was...an experience, to say the least, to watch a movie with a vampire who was feeding from your wrist.

One of my favorite scenes from the movie came on. The Cry Baby Girls (Pepper, Wanda, Hatched-Face) tell Alison that their bazooms are their weapons.

"I see why you like this movie." Eric said, cupping my left bazoom.

I laughed. But made a small grimace when Cry Baby said that infamously retarded line: You got it, you got it raw.

Sometimes I have no ideas how I could love movies like this. I'm sure the 1000 year old Viking with me didn't care much for it.

We finished the film and I was sleepy once more.

"I've been lax in some of my duties. I'll try to come here tomorrow, but it will be very late if I do." He told.

I kissed his lips. "That's fine, I'll be here."

"Get some sleep lover." He rose and walked out.

I took his advice after I cleaned up and fell back into a deep sleep.


	9. Altercation

**FINALLY AN UPDATE!**

**I have made some announcements about this story via author notes in other fics and PMs. I will be putting in some kink, that might end up dominating the story. I've found a wonderful girl who helped me so much.**

**I'm still a bit nervous direction wise, so please review or PM with any criticism, tips, ideas, requests, or comments!**

**THANKS**

I was actually able to sleep for a few hours since I didn't have any morning classes. I had a lecture at 2:00. I just managed to get in the door at 2:01pm. Eric and work were tiring me out big time.

In the middle of the lecture my phone buzzed, but I ignored it. It buzzed three more times before the professor finally dismissed us. The only person I could think of who would be that impatient was Eric, but he should have been dead to the world. I got up to leave and my phone buzzed again as I tried to fish it out of my pocket. I groaned and pulled it out before it went to voice mail. It was Sam.

"Hello?" I said cautiously, pressing the receive button.

"Dina, thank God!" Sam exclaimed. "Where have you been?"

What? Sam knows I go to school. I always make him move my shift around.

"I was in a class, Sam," I snapped at him. "What's the matter? What's going on?"

"I'm sorry, cher," he said in a calmer voice. "I know it's your day off, but do you think you can come in tonight? Arlene's boy fell out of a tree and broke his wrist, and Danielle called in sick. Sookie's gone out of town somewhere with Bill. I can't reach anybody else!" He sounded desperate.

I felt bad for snapping at him. but didn't know if I could come in. I was torn. Eric was trying to come over tonight, but he'd said he would be late if he did. I didn't know how late, though. After Eric's reaction the first day that I'd been working when he expected me to be waiting for him, I didn't want it to happen again. I wished I didn't tell him I'd be at home before he left.

"Sam, I'm seeing Eric tonight," I told him firmly. "I can't break my date with him." Well, I could, but I didn't want to. I didn't want to have to tell my darling Viking that I was waiting tables at a bar while he was at my house looking for me. I didn't fear him, but wondered if he'd forget about his strength when he slammed my delicate front door.

I heard Sam sigh in frustration. "Well, what time are you seeing Eric? I wouldn't ask, but I'm desperate here!"

That was a good question. Late. Eric was supposed to be at Fangtasia taking care of Vampire business for most of the evening. My shoulders slumped in defeat. Sam was a good boss; I couldn't let him down.

"Sam, I can come in until, maybe, 10:00, but then I have to go!" Sam knew how Eric was. I think he'd respond with anger instead of sympathy. He wasn't a fanatic, but defiantly wanted vampires to stay to their own.

"Oh, thank you Dina!" I had never heard Sam sound so relieved. "Can you be here by six?"

I looked at my ipod's clock. I stopped before I swore. If I ran my tush as fast as I could, I'd be there on time. My uniform was at home and I didn't eat anything but half an oat and honey bar. He'd better give me a break with some real food tonight!

"I'm at the school. I'll do my best but I don't have my uniform with me so I have to stop at home."

And make a phone call, and send a text to what I hoped would not be a very angry vampire. I love these days.

I almost missed my turn on the way home so concerned with getting there and worrying about Eric. Was it healthy for me to worry so much over what my…special vampire thought?

And did I want to call him that? What did I call him? boyfriend?

Great, I'm getting a migraine.

I stripped as I walked through the door and found my uniform hanging up on my closet door. I changed in record time. I pulled my hair up into a high pony tail to keep it off my neck. Thank god I wasn't marked tonight.

I almost forgot about Eric. Just as I started my car, I remembered. I typed a short text to him.

"_Goin 2 work- Emergency- Should b off by 10."_

Then, just to be sure, I dialed Eric's cell phone and left him basically the same message. He couldn't say that I didn't tell him and hopefully he would be busy until after I could get home and take a shower. Then I could take the time to obsess about my reaction to going to work tonight…and how much I was missing him…

It turned out to be one of those freak nights when everybody in town has the same idea and ends up at the same place. Merlotte's was packed and we were slammed. The other two waitresses were floaters and more hindrance than help. Tara eventually took pity on me and came out from behind the bar to take a few orders. Tara doesn't do pity well and I tried to intercept a few tables from her, before someone pissed her off. I swear if there was one fight, I was just going to go home.

On my way to take a bottle of hot sauce to Andy Bellefleur, out of the corner of my eye I saw the Fellowship jerks walk in. I cringed but forced myself to smile. I spent an extra minute I really didn't have to spare, at Andy's table. I caught them in my 'perif' the whole time. Thankfully, they didn't sit in my section and I ignored them for the rest of the night.

It was nearing 10:15 when I finally got a minute to myself. I was running late and was beginning to get tired. I was also getting annoyed with everyone. I went to the bathroom and took my sweet time.

I was hoping against hope that Eric was still busy being Mr. Sheriff in Shreveport. My phone hadn't buzzed all night so I thought he must still be busy. Or really mad at me.

I came out of the ladies' room only to come face to face with one of the FOTS creeps. He was about 6' tall with dark brown hair and narrow eyes that made him look mean. He was wearing a bright gold T-shirt with the Fellowship logo on the front, and the slogan "Praise his light." He had big beefy arms and obviously worked out. He had also had a few to drink judging by his stench. For working in a bar, I sure hated beer. I decided to give him a wide berth, thinking he was headed for the men's room.

As I tried to pass him, suddenly he shoved me into the little alcove where the pay phones were, pinning my body against the wall and clamping his sweaty hand over my mouth. Instinctively I screamed and pushed against him, but he was much bigger and stronger than me. Nobody heard me over the jukebox and the rowdy crowd in the bar. Remembering my self defense course, I stomped hard on his foot and tried to knee him in the nuts. _1-2-3. NO, hit, NO_

He caught my knee with the hand that wasn't clamped over my mouth and held on to it, pushing harder against me. I kept struggling. I was trying not to panic and follow all the advice from my class and family about how to get away. How the hell was no one noticing this?

"You fucking fang banging cunt!" he said in a quiet, deadly voice. "Too good for a real flesh and blood man. I bet you're as cold as he is."

Still holding my knee with his hand, he forced it out to the side, effectively spreading me wide, and ground himself against me. I could feel his hardness through his jeans and knew then what he wanted to do. I started to feel sick. I pushed back at him as hard as I could, staring daggers at him. He laughed and leaned in close to me. His breath stank of Bud and cigarettes. He was disgusting.

I'd probably been a little more than 5 minutes. God, for all the times to have no one to call me incessantly! It felt like forever as he kept touching me.

I cringed back away from him as his hand began to make its way from my knee upward.

"I'm gonna show you what a real man feels like, you bitch! You won't want that dead fucker no more once you had something like me!"

His hand had made it all the way up my thigh and his fingers were inside my uniform shorts, about to invade me. I was scared and mad and felt so fucking helpless. I screamed as loud as I could even though I knew nobody could hear me, and he tried to kiss me while his fingers wormed their way into my most private area. All I could think about was that he was touching me where Eric had marked me. Eric. Think of Eric.

I wish I had stayed home. I wanted to be with Eric right now.

I closed my eyes to blink away tears and search for some magic amount of strength to knock him away. But before I could push him, I was free.

Through wide eyes I stared up at six foot five inches of majorly pissed off vampire. He had my molester held three feet off the ground by his neck. His fangs were bared and his eyes were blazing.

"Eric, oh my God, Eric!" I shrieked and tried to go to him. He took my arm and held me away from him while with the other hand he was slowly suffocating the Fellowship perv, whose eyes were bulging as he clawed at Eric's hand and kicked his feet, trying to get free.

"Are you in the habit of touching what is not yours?" Eric questioned the man in a voice dripping with malice. He didn't really want an answer; he went on. "How does it feel to be powerless, knowing your life is no longer in your hands, as you made her feel?"

The man's face was turning redder and redder, and I knew he wouldn't last much longer.

"Eric! Eric!" I shook the arm he was using to hold me away from him, trying to get his attention. "Eric, you can't kill him! Stop! Please, Eric! I don't want you to go to jail!" I was screaming at him, frantic. At this moment, I think I wanted the prick dead though. I didn't want to be forgiving or be a good jr. hippie. I wanted him to suffer. I was starting to feel light headed and overwhelmed.

Eric had to stop though. There was a lot of anti-vampire bias. They'd fry him.

Sam ran around the corner from the bar, finally having heard the commotion. He froze at the sight of Eric.

What if Eric wouldn't have come? Would Sam be pulling the fundie off me right now?

I shuddered.

Something in my voice must have gotten through to Eric because he turned his head to look at me. His expression was still deadly and I knew he was a predator. And then his face softened a tiny bit.

"You do not want me to kill the man who was about to violate you?" He hissed at me.

"Please, Eric, don't kill him! They'll take you away from me if you do! He deserves it but please, please don't!" Tears were streaming down my face and I was pleading with him. "I want you to take me home. Please!"

Without preamble, he dropped the man to the ground and pulled me close to him. The fucker passed out but was still breathing. He was alive. I clung to Eric, shaking and crying.

Sam stood blocking the hallway, staring with wide eyes and saying nothing. Then Eric turned his deadly gaze to Sam. "Shifter, is this how you run your establishment? You let your waitresses be nearly raped by fanatics?"

Sam straightened his back and looked indignantly at Eric.

"I was in the cooler moving things around. I didn't hear anything until I came back out here and found you. What the hell happened?"

Laffayette came walking back and repeated what Sam had said.

"What the hell is going on up in here?"

"Laffayette, please go and keep everyone away from here. We are handling it."

He looked at me with a worried expression. He was wary of Eric, but backed away when he saw how tightly I was holding him. He nodded and turned away. I think I heard him mumble something about 'craziness'

Both men turned to look at me, awaiting my answer of their previous question. Haltingly, I explained everything that had happened.

Sam started to come forward. "I'm sorry, cher, I…" He had to stop because Eric had grabbed the front of his shirt.

"Do not speak to her!" he thundered. "This is unacceptable. There is no excuse for what just happened here! She will not be coming back here, ever. Find a replacement. And I will talk to Bill about Sookie working here as well."

He let go of Sam's shirt and shoved him back hard enough to slam against the wall but not hurt him. I was about to defend him, but Sam didn't know when to let up…

"Wait a minute, Eric…" Sam started to say, but Eric leveled him with another deadly gaze. Sam finally got the message.

I didn't like him quitting for me. I was a grown woman and he couldn't do that. I also needed the job. Sam was a good boss and a good man – this was the fault of those demented bastards ; specifically the one who attacked me.

But right now, I wanted to leave. I wanted to calm down.

I was still clinging to Eric, my arms wrapped tightly around his waist, my head buried in his chest. I knew I was safe now. Eric held me and with the other hand pulled out his cell phone. Seconds later, he was speaking urgently into it, in a language I didn't understand. He ended the call and pocketed the phone.

Eric turned back to Sam. "Take him," and he kicked the unconscious FOTS fool in the shin hard enough to break his leg, "back into the restroom and lock the door. Do not let anyone in. I have sent for someone who will clean up this mess. They will be here within the hour."

I cringed when Eric broke his leg, but I didn't let go of him. I pulled him closer.

"You just expect me to drop everything and…." Sam started to say.

Suddenly Eric was an inch in front of Sam's face, fangs bared.

"Do not provoke me further! You have irresponsibly endangered the life of my woman by allowing those fanatics to socialize here! You allowed one of them to force himself upon her. Yes, I expect you to deal with this. It is your fault. You are lucky that I will allow you to live through this night!"

Sam looked fearful. I didn't want to have to reign him in. I didn't want that responsibility. I was trying so hard to not just collapse on the floor. This night was hell.

Then, Eric turned back to me, and his eyes were soft. He gently pulled me forward and kissed my head, and wrapped his arms around me.

"Come, little one. We are going," he said quietly.

He lifted me into his arms and walked out the back door with me. Only then did I notice that the back door had been torn from its hinges.

My jaw dropped and I looked incredulously into Eric's eyes.

He grinned sheepishly and shrugged his shoulders. "I needed to get to you."

"And you did," I said still shocked. "Thank you. Were you waiting for me?"

"Later, Lover," he told me. "We will talk about it later. Now, hold on tight."

"What?" I started to say, and then we took to the air.


	10. Ultimatum

Here is a new chapter!

My current plan is to work on Night Cry next and try to alternate stories, but I still might work on the next chapter for this story first...all depends on my inspiration, my time, and the avalibity of my coauthors/betas.

This chapter is a **major **change in the story. I hope everyone can find time to review so I know how people feel about it and where everyone hopes the story will go. I read every review and every PM. and even if it doesn't seem like it, I take all suggestions under consideration.

I hope everyone enjoys this!

I want to thank everyone who is reading, especially those who review and contact me. and anyone who has helped me with the writing process.

Eric landed in front of a large house. There was almost no lighting around it. Eric had night vision; I on the other hand could hardly see anything. He put me down, but held me tight. I didn't want to go anywhere, but probably couldn't have even if I tried. There was a box with a keypad on the door where the handle should have been. Eric punched in a code using his vampire speed and the light on the box lit up green. The door clicked open. He moved and swooped me up. I was getting used to this and adjusting to being carried quickly.

Eric wasn't big on nightlights or any lights around the house apparently. I was a little nervous as I could barely make out any silhouettes of the furniture of the room. We walked to a hallway and entered a room. He flipped on a light and I saw we were in a study. I hardly had time to marvel at his bookcases before he opened up a closet door. I was wondering what the hell he was doing.

"Eric?"

"Shhh…Its fine, lover." He hushed me.

We walked in and he shut the door behind us.

Once more, he put me down and kept his arms around me. He moved his fingers along the corner where the two walls met and began to move the panel of the side wall. It was a fake wall. There was another door with the same type of keypad. He punched in the code, pushed the door open, and lifted me. He kicked the door shut and walked me down a dark staircase. We came to yet another door and went through our door routine.

My head was killing me and I wanted to clean myself and sleep. I felt dirty after that creep put his hands all over me. I cringed and Eric looked down at me. I smiled back at him weakly. I was too drained to speak.

He turned on a light and I saw a beautiful room. This place looked like a studio apartment. We walked past a small kitchen into a living room. I had no time to pay attention to the full layout and décor of the room, before we passed under an archway and Eric laid me on his bed.

He sat beside me and I felt so much better to be lying down. I almost wanted to cry. He stoked my hair and gently began to unwind my scrunci. I laid back once my hair was free and reached for his hand before he pulled it away.

"Please" I whispered.

I needed him. I needed his touch to get rid of the memories of that sicko.

His eyes peered into mine. He was so intense and I just wanted him more.

"Are you sure?" He asked, his voice thick.

"Yes." I nodded.

We rolled me on to my back and he began to kiss every inch of my face, my neck, my throat…

I started playing with his beautiful hair while pulling his face close to my body. His hands roamed my body and pulled my clothes off. I wanted more of him. It was like each brush of his fingertips was cleaning off the slime I felt on me. I started to roll his shirt up and he pulled it off. His jeans and boxers followed suit. With in moments we were naked.

His body covered mine and he didn't stop kissing and caressing me. I was very ready and needy by the time he slid into me. My legs held his hips against mine. He balanced on one forearm, with his other wrapped around me. We were trying desperately to make our bodies one.

His pace was slow and steady. I ran my nails over his back. He felt so good. I began to get noisy with my moans and whimpers.

"Eric."

He scraped his fangs over my throat. His thrusts increased and I came around him.

"Again. Give me your pleasure again." He said hoarsely.

"Oh….my god…"

He kept his eyes on mine. I was practically screaming before I came again. He kissed me hard and licked from the vein on my neck.

"I love you."

We stopped.

The words had left my mouth before I could stop them.

Oh god. Oh my god.

I wanted to take them back. How could I have said that?

The look on Eric's face scared me. He was surprised but looked like a wolf who had just caught his prey.

I was done for.

I had said IT.

"Say it again."

I froze. I couldn't do this. I couldn't love Eric Northman.

"I know it's true….I've had your blood. Now say it."

I was breathing very heavy.

I couldn't go back now.

"I…love you."

He smiled and pressed into me.

"Hhmmm" I moaned.

"Mine!"

His thrusts were hard and fast. His fangs plunged into my neck. He came quickly, but stayed inside of me.

He kissed me again and was ready for more.

"Mine…mine..mine…"

I don't even know if he realized he was mumbling this as he moved in me. I held him close and enjoyed the pleasure he gave me.

I was his.

We made love a few more times. I had lost count. Eric only pulled out of me once to reposition ourselves. We held each other until I had to attend to some human needs. He lead me to an adjoining bathroom. There was a sink, a toilet, a closet, and a sliding door that was closed. I wondered what was behind, but was too tired to check. I finished and went back to the bed.

Eric was cozy under the blankets. I crawled under with him and he held me. I was asleep in minutes if not seconds.

I woke up, but couldn't tell what time it was. Eric was sleeping so the sun must have been up. A small light was on in the corner of the room. It wasn't when I fell asleep, so Eric must have flipped it on for me. I noticed for the first time that there was a curtain on the archway between the bedroom area and living room area. It was drawn and I wondered if this was Eric's way of asking me to stay in the room.

I walked to a small table by the end of the room and saw two covered trays and a piece of paper. I grabbed it and read the note quickly. Eric wanted me to eat, rest, shower, and amuse myself with the newspapers and magazines he left on the shelf in the bathroom. I thought it was weird for him to have reading material in the bathroom since unlike humans he didn't sit down in there and read. I just brushed it off. I had bigger things to worry about.

I turned back around and studied Eric for a moment. I didn't think I could ever get used to how beautiful he was. Lying there in slumber, his face relaxed, his golden hair fanned out on the pillow, he looked so young. One could never guess that he'd been alive for 1000 or more years and carried so many responsibilities on his shoulders and memories of lifetime after lifetime in his head.

He had saved me the night before.

I stopped and my heart stilled. I realized I wanted him there, even when I didn't need saving. I didn't want a life without him. I didn't want to go back to hoping to see him and getting butterflies every time I did. Or debating going to the Fangtasia because I didn't want to seem obvious or hitting on a vampire is crazy or because I worried he'd reject me.

I don't know how this happened. I got too close and got attached. I told him I loved him and said I was 'his'. I needed to stop thinking about this…just not now.

I walked to him and reached down to softly kiss his full lips, smoothing back the hair from his forehead. Then I pulled the covers up over his shoulders and went to take care of my "human needs."

I noticed that sliding door again and wondered what was behind it. I don't know how Eric would feel about me exploring, but it seemed like he took steps to keep me in this part of the bathroom and the bedroom : closing the door, drawing the curtain, leaving me food, turning on a light, writing a note, and offering reading material.

I decided to try out the shower. It wasn't as big as one would assume, but it was very nice. I could easily fit Eric inside with me. I took a moment to think about this and shook my head. I was such a nympho sometimes.

The door was glass and frosted. There was a rack with soaps and two large, round shower heads on each side. I only needed one and left the other off. I was curious once more about the shampoo, conditioner and body wash Eric had. It didn't really seem to fit his personality. I wondered if I didn't know as much about him as I thought I did or if these weren't bought solely for Eric.

I turned the cold water down until I almost got scalded. I felt so good by the time I finished. I dried off and grabbed a robe hanging on the back of the door. I think Eric and I were comfortable enough to share clothes. I went and ate, actually enjoying the silence. At home I always had a fan on at night or the TV during the day and I played music a lot. Working in a bar leads you to enjoy quiet and after the past few days – mostly last night – I needed it.

I did dig through the reading selection Eric had and was pleasantly surprised. I settled for a recent copy of Time Magazine. I wasn't always in love with the regular columnists and their views, but I knew I'd find at least one enjoyable article.

I don't know how much time passed, but I decided to go in the bathroom and mess with semi-wet hair. I brushed it and put it in a comfortable ball. When I exited the bathroom, Eric was sitting on the bed with his feet on the floor, wearing only his boxers.

I smiled and walked over to him. He pulled me on his lap, so my legs were draped over his. We kissed.

"Missed you." I said against his mouth.

He kissed me again.

"Are you mine?"

"Yes." I said a little more confidently than I would have when I first woke up. Maybe Eric just needed this phrase and these words. Maybe because he was a vampire and maybe I enjoyed them a bit too.

He looked into my eyes and I started to feel nervous.

"I need you to be mine in all ways."

I was lost. How wasn't I his?

"I don't understand."

"We aren't really together. You asked before about how I'd treat you with other vampires. I don't like it. There is your life with humans, my life with vampires, and then us. I can't be split in three ways."

He cuddled me against him. I didn't know where he was going, but I was scared I was about to lose him.

"Eric, plenty of couples balance different parts of their lives-" I started before he interrupted me.

"It's not the same for us. You could have died last night. You are not safe when you aren't with me."

"It was one time."

"Two times!" He said sharply. "And I'll have you remember one of those vampires got away. What happens next time when I can't get there? When they just stab or shoot you?"

I teared up at the memory. I was still scared and he had a point. But was I really a regular target?

Or did it even matter? All it takes is one time.

"I can't do this." He cupped my face. "I can't lose you. I can't have you, but not have you. You can't be mine only when it fits into your schedule."

His voice was soft. I wanted to protest. He sounded hurt. He sounded like he really didn't want to be without me and as angry as he was about me being attacked, he feared my mortality.

I was planning on telling him he couldn't quit my job for me and telling him that it's unacceptable for him to do so. But now I didn't have it in me.

"What do you want?" I whispered.

"You." He stroked my cheek with his thumb. "I want you to be mine. I want you to stay here. And I want you to accept me for who and what I am. This must be all or nothing"

I nodded. I didn't really understand all of what he was saying. I kept thinking this was crazy and maybe I needed to get out. If Eric was human, I would have left without another thought. What he seemed to be asking for and doing bordered on unhealthy.

"Look at me." He pulled me away from my thoughts.

"I know I'm upsetting you. I shouldn't have to just feel it; you should tell me."

"I'm scared and I don't understand." I told him the truth.

"Trust me."

He made it sound so simple. I didn't want to speak. I didn't have enough grasp of my thoughts to do so anyway.

"That's what this is ; you trusting me." He paused and I knew something big was going to come out of his mouth. "I don't just want you all the time. I want you to embrace my dominance."

My jaw almost dropped. Where the hell was he going with this? How did we end up here?

"I want you to be mine and I want to own you." A small noise came out of my mouth, but he ignored it. "I want you to yield to me 24/7."

"Wait a minute…are you talking about…kinky stuff?" I asked.

"Yes and no. We will be very "kinky", but your submission won't stop just because the sex is over."

I knew what he was talking about. I just didn't expect to have this conversation.

I looked around the room, seeing the drawn curtain over the archway.

The note had directed the activities he wanted me to do, the way he wanted me to spend my free time while I waited for him to wake.

These were very subtle ways of controlling me.

And then there was the fact that we had gone through several security doors to get in here. I couldn't get out on my own! I suddenly felt trapped and wondered if at my age one could develop claustrophobia.

My head was reeling….

He was talking about owning me, and dominance? He was pulling me into some horror _slash _trashy adult novel. I stared at Eric with my mouth open.

"Wait, Eric, just, wait," I stuttered. I pushed against his chest and stood up, aware that I only did so because he'd allowed it. I took a couple of steps and turned to face him, and I saw that he had also stood up. As he approached, I put my hands up and backed up a step. As if he understood my need for space, he only squeezed my shoulder as he walked by, and went to stand in front of the covered archway.

What, did he think I was going to bolt? Where was I going to go?

I felt a rush of panic as I realized that I was effectively trapped, but then I looked into Eric's eyes and saw that I had nothing to fear from him. His blue eyes were soft and warm and I could find the slightest bit of anger or agitation coming from him.

Finally I found my voice. "I don't understand, Eric," I told him. "What do you mean, you want to own me? I've already given you every part of me – my heart, my body, my love. That isn't enough?"

_Couldn't it be enough? Shouldn't it?_

"Again, yes and no," he replied. "I cherish those things and am humbled that you give them to me, but it isn't enough. I need you here, with me ; every day, all the time. I want to know what you're doing, what you're thinking, how you're feeling."

"I always tell you those things, Eric," I said, shaking my head in confusion.

"But you are not always here," he explained. "You do things, see people every day, that I don't know about. I worry and know that you would be safer here."

"OK, so you want me to live with you?" I asked him.

"Yes, I want you to live with me, but there is more."

"Eric," I said, "I am an independent woman. I can take care of myself. I don't..."

He cut me off with a harsh voice. "Are you to independent to trust me? To let me take care of you? To commit yourself to me?" His brows had come down over his eyes and he was starting to look angry.

"Of course I will commit myself to you!" I tried to reassure him. "Eric, I've already done that! I have no other men in my life and I don't plan on going anywhere! What do I have to do to prove that to you?"

I wanted to talk about my job and about how far I'd come – mostly on my won. How I moved away from home and kept myself afloat. I wanted to tell him that while my family was always there for me, I took care of myself. That everyone got so used to coming to me with their problems, no one was there to help me with mine and I got through it all. I was a caretaker and a helper, not the other way around.

His eyes gleamed for a second, like he thought he had just found the prize at the bottom of the cracker-jack box.

"Give yourself to me, Dina. Every part of you. Every minute of every day. That is what I want." He folded his arms and looked at me expectantly

For the first time in my life, I thought I was going to faint. Just have some information and emotional overload and fall over. I rubbed my forehead hard.

"Eric…I…"

"Do you want time to think?"

"Yes."

I needed that. I was going to go home and take a bath and maybe even drink – god knows I rarely did it and probably shouldn't reach for a bottle when making a life altering choice, but fuck – I was at my wits end.

"That's fine. I'm going to go get you some necessities and food, after I run a small business errand. I'll be back in a few hours." He turned and started to leave. I opened my mouth to speak. "Please stay in the bedroom and bathroom area. I'll be back soon, lover."

He winked and walked out.

I should have stopped him. I was honestly more afraid that he might just tell me I couldn't leave. I'd rather be unknowingly locked up here in peaceful ignorance. I sat on the bed and started to think. I kept stopping to pace and go to the bathroom. I washed my hands, I climbed in the shower and kept my hair dry while scolding my body. I cried.

I tried to rationalize leaving Eric. I was...in love with him. There was no denying this and no fighting it. But he wasn't like me. I was nonviolent, kind, felt sorry for nearly everyone, and could not keep up with his politics. He was also immortal and I don't want that. I'm not suicidal, but I defiantly don't think this life is worth living forever. I wanted babies. I wanted peace and a relaxed simple life. I was tired of the excitement. I was just tired.

My life wasn't supposed to be like this. I didn't know how I went from who ever I was a few years ago to this. Here I was still in school - years behind graduating - working at some bar and dating someone a lot older than me!

Dating.

Could I even call this dating?

I don't think we'd ever gone out anywhere but his bar.

My life wasn't going where I wanted it but I gotta be honest - I don't really have a future with him. I won't have babies. I can't marry him. he's not keen on me working or going to school anymore.

He talked about not knowing the people I was around, but I didn't bother to ask him to spend time with me and my friends. He wouldn't even give them a chance. He'd hate it. It would be awkward. I didn't even care if some felt uneasy with him. I'd defend him

God, can I really leave someone I would defend?

I'm losing my mind.

But its a moot point. I'll never have to defend him.

I'll live in his home and…be with him 24/7. Do nothing but be his and only have to worry about us.

And if Eric lets me keep up with some of my life, I get to field questions about who I'm dating. A vampire. A 1000 year old vampire. One who still hasn't met anyone in my life. Didn't that just make me and my life look awesome?

No one would understand how I was with Eric. He didn't mistreat me, he didn't hide me, and I didn't want to hide him. But by all appearances no one could tell this.

Maybe I really missed a public life. Where I didn't sleep most of the day so I could stay up for most of the night. Where I could trot my partner out in front of my friends and at parties. Maybe I still had this sick fascination of going to my 10 year reunion and showing that I've done some cool things, I have someone who many people want, and I'm happy.

I didn't want to give into superficial goals or outside social pressures - but I think that's what some of this was…

I was starting to feel ashamed of myself. Was I this shallow?

Or this immature? To want some princess' day in the sun?

Was I still the nerd (ugly duckling) who wanted to become the prom queen (beautiful swan)?

I sighed.

I honestly couldn't say I wasn't a little turned on. And while I understood Domination/submission (D/s), it was academic for me. It was never a lifestyle I was investigating and considering for myself. Did I have it in me to submit? Would I feel less of what I am now?

I didn't want to lose him. I truly didn't.

I curled up on the bed and smelled his scent on the pillows. What was I going to do?


	11. Decision

**_Hello All!_**

**_I hope everyone is enjoying this story (and my other fics). I'm in need of some reviews though - I need to know if everyone likes the direction this story is taking!_**

**_I want to thank everyone for the reading and reviewing! I really appreciate it.  
_**

**_~*~ :) ~*~_**

I awoke and heard the TV. The curtain that blocked the bedroom off was now open. I got out of bed and walked to find Eric sitting peacefully on the couch. I stood in the doorway for a moment. He could probably sense I was awake and smell me, but he didn't look toward me once. I was nervous. I took a deep breath and walked to sit beside him.

He turned and looked at me.

"Hey." I said softly.

He rolled his head back to lean on the couch and looked at me. His hand moved and his fingers rubbed my cheek. I closed my eyes. This was the moment. This was the big game and I suddenly realized that my time in the bullpen had done nothing to prepare me.

"Is this what you need? You can't be with me any other way?" I asked quietly

"Yes." He said back, just as quietly.

"Okay."

"Okay, what?"

"I'm with you. I'm…yours. I'm going to stay here."

"Do you trust me?" He asked, his voice sounding deep and sending chills up my spine.

"Yes."

"Good. Remember, that's what this is….Your trust and love for me."

He pulled me against him and I relaxed. He held me tight and I wasn't inclined to let him stop. His touch was soothing my nerves and doubts.

I realized that this wasn't just me giving up control – it was me agreeing to be taken care of. When my father had died, I told everyone to back off and went shouting and stomping into my room to make funeral arrangements. I had to be grabbed by my shoulders and told over and over, by my psych professor, that it was okay for someone to help me.

Now I wouldn't have to self reliant. I didn't know if I could do this….

Eric was definitely sensing my emotions as he began to stroke my back when strong trepidation overtook me. It was nice, but it really made me feel as though I had no privacy. Perhaps he'd respect my boundaries enough to not feel and discuss every emotion that ran through me.

"What happens now?"

I was prepared to tell him I agreed to his terms, but now I actually had to live them.

"Now, you trust me to help you acclimate to being mine." He adjusted our bodies and I leaned on him, preferring to not have eye-to-eye contact at the moment.

"I already ended your job at the Shifter's…"

I huffed.

"Some thing you'd like to say? I was surprised you said nothing last night."

He asked sounding amused.

"I was drained…too emotional and scared you might kill Sam. I intended to talk to you and go back to work sometime this week."

"That won't be happening. I did feel some anger from you when I told him you quit; I was happy."

"You were happy I was mad?" I looked up at him incredulously. God, this situation was getting weirder and weirder!

"Yes. Far better than the pain and fear you felt."

I nodded. That was actually a fairly sweet thing to say. He'd rather have me be angry with him than hurting and scared. Of course it helped that angry or not, he just got his way.

"As I was saying," He interrupted my thoughts. "I'm going to disenroll you from school and set you up with classes online soon. We can choose your online school together. I'll take care of your tuition bills."

I bit my tongue. I was fine with him paying for the semester I wasn't going to finish, because it was his fault I started and was quitting after the refund date. I wasn't thrilled that he made it sound like he'd pay for the online classes as well. I needed to knock this off. I wanted to refuse to submit to him – God that sounded so bad – within ten minutes of agreeing to be his.

"I'll send a crew to pack up your apartment, since you'll be living here with me. I'll handle your finances and we'll talk about the details as needed." I nodded, trying to absorb this.

"You're so quiet." He looked at me.

"I don't know what to say…and you may not like some of my reactions."

He laughed.

"I'm glad you are being smart. I promise this will be easy for you once you settle in," He tucked my hair behind my ear. "It may be hard for you to settle into this, but I have no doubt you can and I will help you."

"Okay….I trust you." I added, remembering his first statement to me.

"Now, obviously things have changed between us. More than you living here and more than your job being terminated."

My heart beat quickened. This was it. The hardest part - and he'd built up our conversation for this moment. I didn't know which was worse, the wait or what he'd actually say.

He cupped my face. Apparently, I had to look at him.

"I'm your master now. I'm your mate. You belong to me." His hold relaxed and I kept looking at him. "I will not require you to call me Master, unless I think it will help you to remember your position. I will not have you adjust your speech, except to remember to speak to me with respect….We can still talk as we have and as most partners do. You can come to me at any time when we are home and ask to speak freely with me as your Bonded."

I felt some fear, but was slightly turned on by his voice, his confidence, and the feel of his body against mine. I was glad he wasn't interfering with me talking and would speak with me like an equal when I needed it. I noted how this place I was in, was now my home ; our home. It also didn't escape me that he called us Bonded. I knew me taking his blood was significant. I wonder if he was thinking about this before last night.

He looked at me, obviously wanting me to speak. I'd been working so hard on controlling my big mouth and now he wants me to stop. I can't win!

"I'm glad. You know how I talk and how much I talk."

He smiled.

"I expect you to obey me. I will have to correct your behavior and punish you, if you don't do so."

"How?" I asked, my throat going dry.

"In many ways," He rubbed my back. "Some you'll find out if you misbehave and not until then. I will revoke your privileges and while I'm training you and you are settling in, you have very few of those."

God, what was I getting myself into. I had some idea what this was going to be. I'd read about BDSM and even had a friend who was fairly knowledgeable and kinky herself. I knew, intellectually and not from experience, that submissives were often strong people. This was going to be a test for me.

"What privileges do I have?"

"You are free to address me however you please as long as you are respectful; that's a privilege. You can have the TV on while I'm resting, but I doubt you'll have time to watch much. You can call your friends and family once a week, if you behave well."

My heart sank. I called my family everyday. I texted compulsively.

Eric saw the look on my face.

"This is for your benefit. You don't need distractions right now. Focus on me and on us."

I nodded.

"You understand that while your opinion is important to me, I make all final decisions?"

"Yes."

"Good. Come now, little one, We've done enough talking for the night." He pulled me up and we walked to the bedroom. He let go of me in the middle of the room and dropped the curtain. He walked past me as if I wasn't there. I felt awkward.

"Strip." He said without preamble.

I hesitated. I've been naked with him many times, but this was going to be very exposing for me.

"Dina." His voice was sharp.

I began to pull off my clothes. No need to get punished on our first night. I stood there looking at his back as he combed through things in his armory and dresser. This was a bit unnerving.

"Come here."

I walked beside him and he opened a drawer of a small dresser. It was only about a foot high and rested on top of the regular sized dresser. Inside were three collars. I expected as much.

"These are for you. I want you to wear them with pride. There is nothing shameful about belonging to me. Tonight, lets try the plain one."

He pulled out a black leather collar with a gold D-ring hanging on the front. I glanced at the other collars before he closed the drawer. I wasn't completely sure what they looked like, but I could see that one was very decorative and shiny. It must have had rhinestones or something on it. Maybe I could actually enjoy wearing that one.

"Move your hair and bare your neck."

I assisted him in putting it on me.

"Kneel."

I obeyed him. This was it. I was submitting to him.

"Lean back on your legs, part your knees…place your hands on your thighs."

I did my best to follow his commands.

"I like you to sit like this. You should never close your legs around me. You shouldn't try to cover your body ; the body I now own."

I listened and didn't reply. Thankfully, just when I needed to keep quiet I was at a loss for words.

He stroked my cheek, gently and lovingly.

"I don't want a doll. You know this. I just need your passion to be reserved for me and me alone."

I nodded. I really needed to hear that. I could do this, but I couldn't consent to him breaking me.

"Do you want to please me?" He asked thickly.

"Yes." I replied honestly.

He pulled his flaccid penis out of his boxers and held the base. I was surprised he wasn't hard. He rubbed his tip over my lips. He touched my right cheek, then my left. He stopped and held himself in front of my face.

"Kiss it."

I leaned forward and opened my mouth.

"No tongue." He said sharply.

I was confused but pressed my lips against his head and placed a kiss on him before pulling back..

"Again."

I repeated my actions.

"Now you may use your tongue."

I pressed my lips to make the same chaste kiss, but snaked my tongue out. I encircled his head and left a smacking kiss on his tip. I repeated this since he didn't tell me to stop.

I began to really enjoy myself. I must have moved my hand because the next thing I knew, his cock was away from my mouth and he was grabbing my cheeks.

His hold was rough and I inhaled deeply.

"Put your hands behind your back." I complied. It hurt to move my body with him pinching my face.

"Keep them there or I will help you keep them there and punish you."

I intertwined my fingers, determined to keep them there.

"Are you ready to finish?"

He released my mouth from his grip.

"Yes."

I picked up where I left off. I may not be 100% about this whole submission thing, but I knew I could give a good blow job. He was hardening as I ran my tongue over him. It was a very cool feeling.

I got very involved once more.

"Easy, lover. No sucking yet."

I made sure not to put too much of him into my mouth. There was a difference between French kissing and sucking.

"Good…You will do this everyday. I like you worshipping my cock." He moaned.

I ran my tongue over the underside of his member. I leaned my head and kissed his frenulum.

"Do you want to make me cum?"

"Yes."

"Open your mouth."

He grasped the back of my neck and I tensed. I was scared and thought about my sex philosophy: there was a reason god gave us teeth.

I was nervous he was going to choke me or try and force me to deep throat and have me throw up.

"Relax." He pushed into my mouth and eased his hold. "Go on."

I started to suck him and tried to act like I wasn't holding my hands behind my back, while he held my head. This was just like any other time I went down on him.

…..I was a bad liar because I didn't believe myself for one second.

"Oh…..lover, you are doing so well…suck me." He pushed his hips forward and made eye contact with me. It was hard to look up at him, but I knew he was aware of what he was doing and what I was feeling.

He gently bucked his hips and I felt some drool trickle out of the side of my mouth. I kept going; sometimes fellatio was messy.

I wouldn't say he was 'fucking my face' (I'd had a boyfriend who once suggested we try that) because his pace was slow and he wasn't being the least bit brutal.

I was working hard to breathe out of my nose. I realized I had more of him in my mouth than usual. If he wanted me to deep throat, he was being patient and gradual about it.

"Relax…Keep going…" He caught my eye again.

His movements increased and so did his hold. He was moving back and forth out of my mouth, touching the inside of my throat. I took a breath each time he thrusted. I told myself to relax and calmed my gag reflex.

I sucked him as best I could, knowing he was going to orgasm.

His hand fisted in my hair and I felt his first jet of cum hit the back of my throat. His other hand began to massage my throat; urging me and helping me to swallow. I was happy for his assistance and swallowed his load as best I could. He pulled out of my mouth and there was some dribble on my lower lip. He reached out with his thumb, wiped it, and pressed his finger into my mouth. I sucked it clean.

I felt good. I was proud of myself and felt more at ease. Eric had pushed me tonight, but he was careful with me too.

I was also very horny. While I love tasting him, I'd much rather have him inside a different part of my body.

He grabbed me and yanked me off the floor. I was pushed into the bed. Before I could react he was parting my thighs and positioning himself at my entrance. I moved to help him and supported myself on my hands, leaning over the bed. His dove into me and started pounding hard. I almost came right there and let out a loud screaming moan. I was so glad Eric valued his privacy. I knew no one could hear me and was okay to let go and yell.

My arms collapsed and he pushed me on the bed and unto my knees, without withdrawing. I was being pushed around like a rag doll, but it felt so good I didn't care.

I came over and over again.

Before he came, he pulled out and repositioned us.

He* did it. At this point I don't think I was capable of willful motion. I was still trying to catch my breathe. I felt like putty.

He was on top of me and back inside of me. He held my leg so he could drive his dick in deeper. I was going to cum again…god I know the female body can sustain quite a few orgasm in a row, but I think I was pushing it.

His tongue traced my nipple. He kissed and nibbled. I waited for his fangs.

Once my climax hit, I felt him begin to feed on me. I came immediately after my last orgasm ended.

His hips bucked into mine a few more times before he too, found his release.

He looked down at me.

"You're mine."

He kissed me.


	12. Wakeup Call

Here is another chapter, another shortie actually.

but its something.

**I wanted to say I was remiss in not putting up warnings on the last few chapters. I don't want anyone to read something that will make them uncomfortable or upset.**

**This story has a lot of love, but also a lot of sex and kink. Sometimes you will smile or laugh. and other times you will cringe. Everything depicted in these chapters are and have been consenual. If you do not like kink/ D/s / BDSM or adult material, please don't read. and of course most of these characters are from Mrs. Harris - one talented lady.**

**I did try to reply to all my PMs and many of the reviews. Please keep the feedback coming. I will update soon.**

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I woke up the next morning feeling stiff and sore. My hands went to the collar still on my neck. It felt weird to have it on and I still haven't decided how I feel about it. Eric's suggestion of how I should feel about it was an interesting concept.

I stretched out my body and remembered everything that happened the night before.

Eric and I had sex for hours. His hands touched every inch of me and he ran his fangs over the majority of my body. He bit me all over. My hands touched the marks on my shoulders, breasts, thighs, butt, and the sensitive skin between my legs.

He fucked me hard and pulled out before either of us came. He repositioned us so I could suck him. I knew he loved watching me do this, but didn't admit I secretly liked tasting both of us. I'm sure he knew.

He was slow and pulled out until only a millimeter of his member was inside me. and then slid all the way back in, stopping only when his testicles were pressed up against me.

He teased me and made me wait.

He made me cum over and over again.

I noticed that most of the time he was the one in control. He literally grabbed and moved me into different positions. When I tried to move with him, it became awkward. So I learned to just let him do what he wanted while I remained pliable.

He kept his hands on my hips, fisted in my hair, wrapped around and under me, squeezing my bottom, kneading my breasts, and even sticking his fingers in my mouth while he fucked me from behind.

After a while it became painful. He pounded hard and the sounds of his hips slamming against mine echoed in the room. I instinctively pulled away a few times, but couldn't move far.

I knew he was testing me. He wanted to see if I would tell him to stop. I held through the pain and blinked away my tears. He'd cum inside of me and then feed me his blood. It rejuvenated me and healed me. We went back to tasting one another and enjoying the sensation of him inside of me. Soon it would hurt again and I held out longer before he offered me blood.

Dawn was approaching when he kissed me and laid me on my back. He pushed my hair out of my face and smiled softly at me. He helped me get under the blankets and sat beside me. He fed me his blood while he played with my hair. I was amazed how tender he was with me. He kissed my forehead and whispered in my ear "My Dina". He made me feel like I was the only person in the world. He took his wrist away too soon in my opinion. He laid down beside me and put his arm over me. I felt very happy and fell asleep quickly.

I noticed he didn't give me enough blood to not feel the effects of our tryst from the night before.

I looked over and saw he had fallen asleep with a smile on his face. I smiled and swung my legs over the side of the bed.

The searing pain made me stop. I hurt inside and out. I took a deep breath and walked into the bathroom. After taking care of my human needs, I saw a note on the shelf.

Eric wanted me to put an outfit on that he left hanging behind the door. I stopped reading and found it.

It was a baby doll dress. It would only come to my mid thigh and there were no underwear. Wasn't my vampire so cute in his clothing choices?

I went back to reading and learned that while there was food for me, he didn't have a lot. He promised to get as much more food that night, but was confident I'd be fine for the day. I wasn't too surprised. He told me I'd find a notebook in the living room with some things to fill out for him. He told me to enjoy my day and he was excited to see me when he rose.

I slipped the dress on and looked in the mirror. _Yep, way short._

I shook my head and ventured to find this notebook.

It was right on the table clear as day. I grabbed it and flipped through it. Now I understood Eric's comments about me not having time to watch TV even if he allowed it.

He wanted me to fill out all my bank information, explain any accounts I had, list every company I had business with, write out a list of friends and family I expected to have contact with and explain their relation to me, write out a list of food and things I needed, and 'any other relevant information you can think or that I should know'.

_Wow._

I went to go get some food. I was feeling frustrated. I hated paper work and there was no way I was going to remember all of this. I made myself some scrambled eggs and toast. Eric had a pretty well stocked kitchenette as far as appliances go for being a vampire.

I sat down with my food and notebook and began to write.

It took hours and I didn't stop until I saw a Viking standing in the doorway watching me.

I put my stuff down and walked to him. He pulled me into his arms and kissed me.

"Are you finished?" He asked.

"Uh…Just a little trouble with some sections. Like the 'everything else' one."

He nodded and I turned to go back. His arm snaked around my waist and pulled me against his chest.

"You look beautiful today."

His hands traced my hair (which I had surprisingly left down), my collar, my breasts and down my thighs. I felt tingly.

"Spread your legs….last warning." He whispered, reminding me of his rule to keep my legs open at all times around him.

I shuddered and nodded. We walked together to the couch and he pulled me against his side after grabbing my note book.

"I wanted to talk with you about this first. This is your notebook." He showed it to me.

I nodded, wondering where he was going with this. _What was so significant about a notebook?_

"You'll write in it daily for me. You can also scribble what ever you want in the back. Maybe write about your feelings when you have a bad day."

I nodded.

That didn't seem too bad. The way he phrased it sounded like he was going to give me a topic.

"Now, this is yours and the back of it is where you can write out what ever you need to. I most likely won't look there, but I reserve the right to do so if I want to." He said sternly.

I nodded much slower this time. Things were going so good and easy, and then he makes this Dom/sub thing real again. I was beginning to feel pinched with this lack of privacy.

He began to slip through all my paper work and I sat there quietly thinking about the change in my situation. I was nervous, but not really afraid. I didn't think Eric would hurt me.

"We'll discuss this soon." He placed the notebook down and pulled me on his lap.

"How did you feel today?" He asked.

"Sore." I replied honestly.

"Good….I wanted you to remember last night." He snuggled me.

"I was very pleased with you. You didn't tell me to stop….you trusted me."

His fingers began to stroke my hand and wrist in the middle of his talking.

"If I was a human, I couldn't heal you – which I will. Our relationship isn't typical, not even by D/s standards. If we weren't bonded, I'd rely on you to tell me what you were feeling and when it hurt. I know what you feel and I know when I'm being rough with you. It's also my choice to decide when it's enough or too much."

He stopped my cupped my chin.

"Never be afraid to tell me if you are worried or what you are feeling. There are no secrets between us. …While I love your display of trust and submission, I value your openness just as much. Last night we took an important step. We mated and shared blood. You trusted me and I pushed you. You felt pain and pleasure and hopefully recognized that my pleasure is more important than your pain. Things would be different if I wasn't vampire. But since I am, I'm going to heal you."

He bit his wrist and held it to my mouth. I latched on. I was feeling scared, turned-on, and comforted by his words as he spoke. His blood tasted so sweet. He moaned when I sucked harder. I felt every bruise I had healing. The fang marks he left on my body tingled as his blood removed them. I also felt his erection pressing into me and his lips on my shoulder.

We were interrupted by his phone. He groaned and pulled his wrist away. He looked at the caller ID and rolled his eyes.

"What, Bill?"

"Oh" I whispered. This was going to be lovely. I couldn't imagine what Sookie was going to say. She would never understand this.

I couldn't hear Bill's response, but watched as Eric's expression darkened. "It is only because of Sookie that I will answer your question," Eric continued in a hard voice. "Dina and I have come to an understanding. She is mine. She will be living here with me from now on and I will be making all decisions for her. I think you know what that means."

I gulped. This was going to be bad. I began to feel embarrassed. I trusted at least that Sook wouldn't blab this to everyone.

""Sookie has no reason to worry!" Eric responded after Bill's voice got louder on the other end of the line. "The matter is not up for discussion Bill. She is here of her own free will…Sookie is yours, I don't know why you are allowing her to keep working there…."

I could only guess what they were saying.

"Compton, as your Sheriff I am warning you that your questions are crossing a line! This is none of your business, or Sookie's. Dina is safe with me and that is all you both need to know…."

Bill was digging himself a hole. I wanted to interrupt but thought better of it. Eric had been very lenient and I was almost certain that if I got involved between him and another vampire, he wouldn't be very understanding.

Bill persisted in his questioning, I assumed, because the expression on Eric's face went from irritated to livid.

"There was an altercation, yes. She was nearly assaulted at that shithole where she used to work. You should not allow Sookie to work there either…..Well she can be independent right up until she gets killed there. What kind of vampire are you to allow her to put herself in danger?,,.."

I still thought Eric was going a bit overboard. It was only one…okay, maybe two….two times discounting the typical drunks on Friday night.

But that could happen anywhere. You can't just lock yourself away from everyone to stay safe.

I paused for a moment and looked at my surroundings…maybe you could.

With an unnecessary sigh, Eric suddenly thrust the phone at me. "Sookie wants to speak to you," he told me. I took the phone from him and stared at him, confused and a little fearful. What was I supposed to tell people about the change in our relationship?

Eric's face softened and he caressed my cheek gently. "Tell her only what you are ready for her to know," he said.

"Hey Sook." My voice waivered a bit.

"Are you okay?" She rushed out. "If not, we will come and get you."

I heard bill yell at her in the background. "Sookeh!"

Eric curled his lip in disgust.

"No…I'm fine."

"What has Eric done to you, Dina?" Her tone was accusing. "Why is he quitting your job for you and moving you out of your apartment all of a sudden?"

"He got me out of there….before anything happened. He doesn't trust that's it safe for me to work there anymore. I'm going to stay with him." I was slightly vague.

"That doesn't sound like you. Is he forcing you into something?" she said exacerbated and disbelievingly.

"Sookie, I'm with Eric now. He feels better with me here. I'm okay!" I exclaimed with more resolve.

Eric nodded approvingly next to me and smiled.

"But you can't just quit work and move! What about school?"

"No, you can't come and get me. I don't want you to!" I said when she continued to argue with me. I was very conscious of the fact that Eric heard everything we both said. I didn't want him to go after Sookie.

Both of us were silent for a moment.

"I promise I'm fine…I'm staying with Eric. Let's talk later. I had a rough few days."

I heard her begin to open her mouth before Bill called her name. I couldn't make out what they were saying.

"I'll call you tomorrow." She said and hung up before I could reply.

I closed the phone and gave it back to Eric. I looked at him apprehensively. I didn't know how mad he was.

He pulled me firmer on his lap, but still said nothing.

"So…that wasn't that once a week phone call thing was it?" I joked to ease the mood.

"No, that was you convincing your worrisome friend that I didn't kidnap and drain you." He sounded frustrated.

"We knew she was going to call…it could have gone worse." I laid my head against him.

"Did you eat enough today?" I shook my head. "Go eat while I read your stuff."

I hopped off his lap and he swatted my butt softly. I suppressed a laugh and went to get more food.

I was happy with how things were going, all things considered.

* * *

STORY PIMPING TIME:

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I already peaked at an example story...looks like there is going to be some great fics with this one!


	13. Ground Work

Another Chapter.

**I really really love all the reviews and PMs**. wonderful! so very helpful and such great motivation!

There has beens ome question and some negative feedback. BDSM isn't for everyone and you don't have to like it or read it. I write many things and once I get done with Night Cry and this story I plan on writing more fics. I sometimes write kink. I sometimes even write hardcore gore. I also write some romance and think there is some humor here and there in all my fics. If anyone has left this story or decide to stop reading later, thats fine. I have other fics thatsome readers might be more suited for.

**For those who like where this is going:** glad you like it! I am teasing you a bit and taking this slow. its an adjustment for our sub character Dina and Eric is not only a good Dom, but a good lover and is being very careful with her.

I am still hoping this story doesn't get pulled. but if does I'll post in on Livejournal and make an announcement.

I do want to repeat that there are adult themes in this story but I don't think this chapter is any more grpahic than the ones before it.

**please keep reviewing! **

I will try to work on Night Cry over the weekend. and if you aren't reading that fic as well - I reccommend that you do.

**Thanks again!**

* * *

I went to the kitchen and got some food. I'd be happy when Eric went shopping for me. He had only grabbed enough for a few days. I was also low on spices and extras to season my food. I was hoping he would let me go shopping for my own food. Its hard to just write a list of everything you need. I knew if I went to the store and saw things I'd buy a lot more.

I wondered if I asked nicely if he'd let me go. I had a feeling he'd say no. I felt a bit irritated but realized that not getting to go grocery shopping – which is really a chore – isn't the worst thing in the world.

Once I was done eating, I went back to sit with Eric. He talked to me about my paperwork. I was honest and told him I didn't keep the best track of things and usually had to pull out my folders to remember passwords, pins, and IDs. He shook his head at me, but knew there was nothing we could do about it until we retrieved my paperwork.

I stopped midway during our paperwork chat to mention food.

"Did you see my shopping list?" I asked tentatively. I was going to be very persuasive.

"I did. I'll get food for you tomorrow. My day man will pick it up."

"I was wondering….if maybe I could go get it."

"No, you don't have privileges to leave during your training."

"Eric. Please, it will be easier for me. Its hard to just write down food. I need to see the aisles."

He looked thoughtful. "Maybe. We'll discuss it later….now I've had most of your stuff packed already and some will be brought here tomorrow. I'll review it first and then decide what comes down here with us and what is stored upstairs."

My mouth fell open. He went into my apartment and packed it up already, with out telling me! He was going to decide what things of mine I could keep with me.

"Who packed it?" my voice was clipped.

"The men I hired. Why do you ask?" he asked amused.

"You know I'm private about my stuff." I replied, feeling my anger rise.

"My stuff," he corrected. "You own what I allow you to own and right now that's nothing. You should know privacy is a much larger issue for me than it is you."

I opened my mouth and he held his finger up.

"You understand I'm trying to not have to punish you so soon, don't you? That my leniency is being given more so than I normally ever give it?" He asked annoyed.

"Yes." I said, trying to control my big mouth.

"Good. You want to go shopping. Lets have you not get punished for another day or two and I'll take you shopping. Show me excellent behavior from now until then."

I nodded and didn't say a word. I could do this. I could be quiet in order to avoid being punished – something I was scared about – and so I could go shopping for my own food.

I reminded myself Eric was being good to me. I would also do this for him.

I gave my word and even if it felt like I offered a bit too much, too fast, I was in this now and had to keep my promise.

Eric nodded in approval of our agreement and went back to my paperwork. He was closing my bank account and opening a secondary one for me at his bank. He was going to turn off my cell phone and put me on his plan. I was getting an upgrade and we'd have unlimited calls between us. Not that it mattered since it didn't look like we'd be far enough apart to call one another any time soon.

We kept talking about things that were both interesting and boring. Boring because it was paperwork and things like moving around my accounts. Interesting because I was essentially having my whole life uprooted and I should be aware of what was going on.

I don't know if Eric ever realized how lazy I was when it came to little things like this. I guess he'd find out when he saw how disorganized my paperwork was because I got frustrated and threw it all together. I think he'd be shocked because I'm typically so OCD. This thought made me smile.

We rounded back to my grocery list and Eric brought up my health and appearance.

"I made you an appointment with a doctor who works well with supernaturals. Her name is Dr. Ludwig. She'll give you a full physical and can help me with any food issues you might have. I haven't eaten or shopped for food in a very long time."

I started to feel self conscious.

"Do you want me to…lose weight?"

Eric had never complained about my body. He always seemed hungry for me and ready to bed me.

"No," He pulled me close. "You are soft, curvy, and beautiful. You eat enough, but I don't know if you eat enough vitamins. The human body is very complex."

"It is?" I asked a little unsure of where he was going.

"Of course. I only need blood. I don't need any particular blood. Although, blood without disease and drugs is better. And of course some vampires prefer certain types….but humans need the right chemicals, hormones, minerals, and vitamins in their body at all times. It's very hard to keep a healthy human diet."

I thought Eric was over thinking things a bit. I was pretty healthy. I was glad to know he liked my body and this wasn't a weight issue.

I frowned when I realized if I fibbed to this doctor, like I sometimes did with my other ones, Eric would be very upset with me. I had a feeling she'd find a number of unhealthy things I could work on.

"I don't like doctors much." I tried not to sound whiney.

"But they are necessary. I'm also going to set you up with special stylist. I have some requirements for your appearance."

I bit the inside of my mouth. I was not going to say something and get punished and lose my chance to go shopping.

I wasn't.

"I don't wish you to cut your hair. You've trimmed it a few times, but seem to be growing it out. I hope to bring it down to your waist. I like your toenail polish. I want to make sure you get regular pedicures and manicures. I do not understand this anti-hair prejudice in modern society, so I won't be requesting any shaving or waxing…"

I cut him off. "Wait….I can't shave anymore?"

"No, it's silly."

My jaw dropped.

"Eric….I can't have super hairy legs and underarms."

I admit I get lazy and grow out a bit for the winter sometimes, but I couldn't go completely au natural. No way.

"Why not?" He cocked his brow.

"It will look bad. I'll be embarrassed if you take me out in a dress with fuzzy legs." I pressed my point in firmly.

He stopped for a minute.

"My opinion is the one that should matter more to you….but I'm not trying to embarrass you. I will monitor your shaving habits closely. I will have you bare if I take you out in public. I won't allow you to get rid of your public hair, however. I have no interest in bedding a little girl or a woman who looks like one."

I pushed my luck. I just had to.

"Trimming? Just a bit?"

He looked irritated.

"We'll see…..I have some more extensive requirements with your bathing than you are used to. A few times a week, I am going to have someone help to clean you inside and out."

My stomach lurched. Someone was going to bathe me? Did he just say _'inside'_ and 'out'?

"Dina," he said impatiently. "These are not bad things. I'm caring for you. You can't object. I know you are shy, but I promise I'm only allowing a strict professional near you. Do you really think I'd allow just anyone to see what is mine?"

I grimaced and felt strained to breathe. God, this was the hardest fucking thing I've ever done in my life. Eric began to rub my back and soothe me.

"I know it's hard. It will get easier. Perhaps we need to stop talking for a while. You need to focus on other things." He kissed my head. "Go to the bathroom. See to your human needs and wash your face. Take your time, I want you calm when you come back."

I nodded and went to the bathroom to compose myself. He was really being patient with me. But he wasn't budging much on getting what he wanted. He made few acquisitions, but I knew he wasn't obligated to make any.

I did as he said. I took deep breaths and told myself I could do this. I'd always been told subs were strong people. but I never realized how much it took to let another be dominant with you.

I came out of the bathroom and found Eric sitting on the bed. He stood and took my hand.

"Have I told you how beautiful you are today?" He asked me in a low voice.

"Maybe."

"Mmm…you're so beautiful." He kissed just behind my ear and sat us on the bed. His hands began to roam my body and his lips showered my face and shoulders with kisses. I almost forgot about my collar. Almost.

His hands rubbed my stomach and I felt self conscious once more and wiggled away from him. He pulled me close and kept massaging my belly.

"You turn me on so much lover….all of you."

He tucked my top down with his teeth and began to kiss my breasts. My hands fisted in his hair rand I felt very pretty in this moment. He pulled one of his hands away from me to free his erection.

His hands grabbed my hips and pulled me on top of him. I was thankful I didn't have panties on. I felt his cock pressing against my folds and I ground my hips. He moaned against my nipple. He looked up at me.

"Do you want me inside you?"

"Yes." I moaned at his words.

We moved our bodies into position and I slid down slowly on his dick. I sat with him fully imbedded in me. Even after having sex with him for a while now, he still felt so huge. I was still being stretched and it felt so painfully good. I wrapped my arms around and we moved together. I stared at his fangs as he opened his mouth wide, hissing in pleasure.

He was so beautiful and even if it didn't seem like it, he was mine.

Eric held me as we lay on our bed. (_Was it ours now? Did I just think that?) _My orgasms with him were always so intense.

"Are you ready to get back up?" He asked me.

"Yeah." I stretched my body out.

"Good, I want to get back to your training."

I rolled my eyes. He pulled me up and we were off and out into the living area.

Instead of sitting us down, he said something that was hard for me to digest.

"Put your hands behind your back and then get on your knees."

He wasn't motioning between his legs. He just wanted me to kneel beside him. He pulled out a pair of leather cuffs. I realized he was going to restrain my hands behind me.

Okay, I was being submissive. I could do this.

I had given myself more internal pep talks since meeting Eric than during my whole life combined.

I put my hands behind my back and turned so he could lock them up. The leather felt cold and rough. My fingers twisted. I was suddenly feeling uncomfortable. Once they were locked he sat down.

I knelt down and he stroked my cheek.

"You are going to do something for me. This might seem strange, but it's very important." He began and I looked him with wide eyes. "You are going to suck my fingers ; each one. You are doing this for two big reasons…"

I almost laughed when he said I was going to suck his fingers. I didn't because I was determined to not get punished and go shopping for my food. I hadn't been officially punished yet, but still remembered the way Eric grabbed and pinched my cheeks when I moved my hands. I was going to avoid that.

"First, you need to learn that not everything we do is about sex nor is it about orgasms. Sometimes I just want you to show your love and devotion to me. Sometimes I just want pleasure and not necessarily an orgasm. Just as when you kissed my cock, you will suck me not to get me off, but to show your affections."

I nodded. It was surprising how much he made sense. It was harder to disagree when he sounded so logical.

"Secondly, you should love all of my body. You should love me from head to toe. You should love my cock no matter what part of your body it's in or what it is doing to you. You should love my arms rather they restrain or cuddle you. You should love my hands when they are gentle with you and when they are rough," He stroked my cheek again, "You should love me rather I am pleasuring or punishing you….Now show me you love me."

He started intently at me. It felt like his gaze was wearing me down. He wasn't going to put his finger in my mouth like he did the night before while we had sex. He was going to have me do it. He wasn't forcing me. I was doing this with 100% of the effort.

I leaned forward and took his index finger into my mouth. I sucked him gently. I looked up at him and he nodded his approval. I kept going and pretended it was his dick.

I tried to remember this was different than a regular blowjob. This was loving and worshipful. And of course, submissive.

There was something very telling about our situation during this moment. I was on my knees. He was sitting above me. My hands were restrained. But only because I put them behind my back and allowed him to do so. I was sucking him. Granted these were his fingers, but it was still very close to another act. I was also not gaining any physical pleasure from this. I was giving and not taking. He was accepting without demanding and taking my love which could only be given.

I was still ambivalent at times. But this wasn't bad. Not bad at all.

I became concerned about what to stop and switch fingers. I just kept going. Eric's middle finger rubbed my check and I turned my attention on to it. I was thankful he guided me.

He seemed deep in thought and I just kept going. My jaw didn't get sore and I didn't get tired the way I did after going down for a while, but I knew a lot of time had passed. It was also very weird to have my hands held behind me. I felt kinda helpless, but not afraid.

I worked diligently on finger after finger.

He finally pulled the last one from my mouth. He smiled at me and I smiled back.

"Do you need water?" He asked.

"Yes, please." I replied.

He stood and rushed out of the room. I was left kneeling with my arms behind my this didn't feel too great.

He came back, sat, and put his hand behind my head. He helped to tilt my head back and poured the water into my mouth. I wasn't used to someone controlling everything like this and it made me feel uncomfortable. I also wasn't used to someone caring for me. arms restrained or not, he just checked on my thirst, got me water, and gave it to me.

"I'm still thinking about your contacts. I am warning you now. I will be strict about other men in your life and will not negotiate." I went to open my mouth and he held his finger up. "This isn't about me trusting you or not. I'm possessive. I'm a vampire, that's our nature. Pick your battle wisely."

I nodded, starting to feel annoyed. He picked up on my sadness over the idea he didn't trust me to not cheat. It was nice that he knew and I didn't have to explain, but I still felt a little invaded by our bond.

"I'm going to post on your facebook that you got a new job and have taken a short vacation with your bonus from work. We'll handle talking with your friends and family as they try to contact you."

I nodded and prayed they waited for as long as possible.

"I wanted to clarify something with you as well. Tomorrow when you open your journal, there will be something in there from me and you will respond to it. I will also give you a schedule for your day. It will be on the table."

I nodded.

I could deal with that. I was still thinking about Sook and Bill. I wondered if he forgot. I didn't want to bring it up if he did. But if he didn't I feared what he was going to do to them.

"Dina?" He questioned me.

"I want…I'm thinking about something." I stopped.

"You know you can talk to me about anything…place your head on my thigh and I'll remove your cuffs."

I leaned forward and realized I was practically bowing. I was grateful once I was mobile again, but my arms were stiff. H saw me flex and rub them.

He reached forward to massage me.

"That happens when you aren't used to bondage or have been bound for a long time. You were only in those for a little over an hour."

I couldn't believe it was that long and was nervous by his description "only over an hour". Was he planning on having me tied up for a long time?

"What do you want to tell me?" He asked and kept rubbing my sore limbs.

"I wanted to ask about…Sookie and Bill."

I was nervous. I hoped he wouldn't do something…drastic.

"I'm going to leave your friend alone. I don't care," He was lying about not caring, I knew it. "But Bill will be replacing me at Fangtasia until I'm satisfied with how you're settling in."

I scrunched my face, but said nothing. Bill was getting off easy. He hated working at the bar and would hate to be there until closing or later, but at least he would keep his fangs.

I got lost in my thoughts for a moment. Eric pulled me back into the present and away from the issues that my friends and family would have with the changes I made in my life.

"Go clean up. The doctor should be here soon."

"She's coming tonight?" I asked surprised.

"Yes, didn't I mention that? Go on." He replied.

I shook my head, got up and went into the bathroom. I wondered if she was going to give me a full exam. I blushed when I realized she'd know we just had sex not that long ago.

Eric had no modesty or shame and I had enough for the both of us.


	14. Bad Medicine

Hey all!

I have my computer back! ...mostly...still adjusting to some of the file loses and changes my comp guy made. I'm still writing, I might do more Deadly Words and I might work on Night Cry, not sure yet.

as always: most of these characters are not mine, there are adult themes and most are graphic, and this is only fiction. I think I've explained in other chapters the differences between vampire/human D/s relationships and human/human ones - so please don't use this an at home guide.

**and please read and review**

enjoy.

* * *

I got into the bathroom feeling embarrassed already. I also couldn't believe he forgot to tell me about the doctor. Did he really forget or was he messing with me?

When I finally did get to go shopping I was going to buy cloves of fresh garlic, diced jars of garlic, herb and garlic marinade, garlic and sea salt mix, garlic juice, pickled garlic, garlic salad dressing...and incorporate all my garlic products into each meal! That would teach him to spring this on me!

I finished in the bathroom and looked in the mirror. I was going to greet this doctor dressed like...a pet. A slave.

This technically was what I seemed to be now, only with none of the negative connotations because I loved Eric and wanted to be with him.

I think he knew this was going to embarrass me. I wondered if he was being indifferent or if he was going to enjoy this. I think his goal was for me to no longer be embarassed about these things.

He was very ambitious.

Eric was standing by the door to the stairway wearing black track pants, a blue t-shirt and flip flops. I wanted his outfit. When I walked up, he handed me a pair of black platform flip flops with beads along the top. They were very beautiful. I slipped them on and he punched in the security code. I took his hand and we made our way up the stairs.

I was nervous because the lighting wasn't sufficient for my human eyes. We walked slow and I was almost tempted to ask him to carry me. I was going to have to talk him into investing in some new lighting for me.

I was glad when we got to the top and he opened the false wall to go into the closet. I wasn't given time to look at the bookcases again. Eric began to pick up his pace and I was moving quick to keep up with his long strides. He walked me through the front room and started pulling me up the staircase. I wondered if we were late.

We walked all the way down to the end of the corridor and went inside a room.

It was big with a tile a floor and white walls. There was bright fluorescent lighting and my eyes had to readjust. There was a long table with a cushion on it. It looked like it was detatchable. Near it was a space in the wall covered by a sliding door. I had no idea what was behind it. I spotted one of the chairs you find at hair salons in the corner of the room. There was also a large sink by it. There were cabinets alongside the far wall and some open space in the center of the room.

I was wondering what all this room was used for and was surprised my viking had this in his home.

"Dina." Eric stopped my room gazing.

"I want you to practice today. Think about when we are out in public and you must seem like any other valued human pet. As my bonded, you are given more leeway and respect, but are still seen as not equal. I don't want you to speak unless spoken to and to remember your manners."

I nodded, not liking this part. I was going to play the game. Politics was politics. At least we had a safe place to practice.

"What do I call you?" I asked.

"I pefer you to get yourself used to the term 'Master.' I won't be mad if you slip up. Even in the supernatural world, there is doctor/patient confidentiality." He smiled at me.

There was a knock against the door. He pulled me against him, with a possessive arm around my waist.

"Eyes to the ground," He whispered in my ear and I obeyed.

"Enter." He said loudly in his Sheriff voice.

I shifted uneasily as I heard the door open and close, keeping my eyes lowered as Eric had commanded. I couldn't believe that he wanted me to call him "Master!" I was fuming internally and had to keep telling myself that I had agreed to this because I loved him. As intolerable as this felt, it would be much worse to wake up the next day without him in my life.

A pair of tiny feet came into the edge of my peripheral vision and I struggled not to look curiously at the doctor. Of course she addressed Eric, not me. "Northman, what can I do for you?" she asked.

"My human needs to be checked out. She's new and I want her to be in perfect health. I'm also looking for some information on how to care for a heathy human. It's been a long time since I've been around them regularly."

"Alright, regular fee for the standard check up and I'll bill you for everything else. Strip her and get her on the table."

I cringed. She didn't look like she had a hospital gown in her bag. Not that I was wearing all that much to begin with. Eric led me to the table.

"Take your clothes off," He said evenly.

I sighed and shut my eyes while I stripped. She was a doctor. This was professional. I left my clothes and shoes in a pile on the floor. Eric wrapped his arm around me, which was a surprise, and hoisted me up. He laid me on the table and stood next to me.

"No, she can sit up while I take her vitals," the doctor admonished Eric, producing a standard blood pressure cuff from her bag.

"I see you have her collared. How often deos she wear it?"

"24/7. Is that safe?"

'_Yeah, is it?'_

"Its do-able. But she needs to remove it when she bathes. What material is it made of?"

The doctor and Eric kept talking over me while she took care of the basics in my check-up.

"She has more than one. I plan on getting more. Right now she wears a plain leather one, another leather one with a lambskin lining, and the last one has a very thin velvet lining. I'm thinking about purchasing a metal one. Possibly a heavy one."

_A heavy one? what did he mean by that?_

"Just make sure her skin isn't bothered by the linings or the leather. Check her regularly. I'll send you information and make sure you read up on whoever you buy from."

"Of course, thank you doctor," Eric said politely.

Ten minutes later, after taking my temperature, checking my eyes, throat, reflexes, and drawing a few vials of blood, she told Eric to have me lie back and put my feet in the stirrups she unfolded from underneath the table. This was the part I had been dreading. Even more so than the needle she put in my arm. Eric took pity on me and wrapped his arm around me and let me bury my head in his chest when she stuck me.

This was worse. My entire body flushed bright red as I complied, knowing that I really had no choice but to go along.

I felt the speculum go in and was surprised she gave me no warning. She didn't swab me right away and appeared to be curious about something.

"She has some tearing, not fully healed."

Eric and I shared a look. He seemed almost embarassed. I remembered our blood session was interrupted by Bill and Sook.

"I'm giving her my blood. I can give her more. Is it serious?"

"No. But I don't endorse you tearing her or causing damage to her body regularly just because you can heal her." She sounded dry.

"Can I see?"

My head perked up at the same time the doctor's did.

"You want to see this?" She asked.

"Yes. I spend a lot of time down there, but never get the view you are getting."

My head dropped back down. I had to be bright red. How could he say that?

Not only was that remark explicitly sexual, but he just asked HER permission to see me.

God, this was hell.

I guess I should be thankful the doctor was somewhat on my side - she didn't endorse him injuring and healing me.

Then again, she didn't tell him not to either.

I didn't look when Eric moved to squat next to the standing doctor.

"What are you doing?"

"A pap smear. I'm checking for anything abnormal. Has she had any complaints?"

"No."

I bit my lip.

I was trying so hard to not speak. or scream.

"Are you finished?"

"Yes."

"Can I remove...that thing?" He asked her.

Oh god.

"Sure. Let me help."

I cringed and made a small noise when I felt both of their fingers on me. They ignored me.

"Fascinating." Eric remarked and I wanted to die.

"Have her put her legs down. I'm going to need paperwork from her old doctors and plans you have for her diet. According to most human doctors, she is overweight."

"Nonesense. Humans are fools...Dina, legs down." He ordered me.

There was those mixed feelings again.

Embarrassed about this whole thing.

Humiliated at how they were talking over me.

Happy that Eric defended my body.  
Annoyed he insulted humans when I was a human.

I felt the angry sting of tears behind my eyes and began to blink rapidly in an attempt to hold them back. Neither one of them paid any attention to me whatsoever; I was just the lab specimen on the table.

I might as well have been a rat or a guinea pig for all they cared.

They talked about how long before the blood work results would come back and made plans for a follow-up appointment. I didn't listen to them; it didn't concern me anyway, did it?

Not as far as they were concerned.

Suddenly the appointment was over and, with a POP, the doctor disappeared from the room. I stayed where I was, my eyes not meeting Eric's, waiting for him to decide whether or not he would allow me to get dressed again.

Eric put his arm under my shoulders to help me up and then helped me pull the dress on over my head. Funny how the garment that had seemed so revealing that morning now felt like a muumuu as far as covering my body was concerned. I had never felt more naked in my life than I had on that examining table.

He was oblivious to my discomfort and humiliation as he took my hand and led me back through the house and down into the day chamber. Each door closing behind us sounded to me like the metal clang of a prison cell door. The farther we descended, the more claustrophobic I suddenly felt.

Panic suddenly rose in my chest, a tightness that made me feel like I couldn't breathe. I swallowed a few times and tried to breathe deeply to keep it under control. I'd warded off panic attacks before, but this monster was roaring to life inside of me and would not be contained. I dropped to my knees, clawing at my chest, sobs and dry-heaves coming out of my mouth. The tears that I had worked so hard to keep at bay now sprang forth to run like a waterfall down my cheeks.

"Dina? Dina! What is wrong?"

I heard Eric's voice calling from somewhere far away. I reached out to him, my fingers not feeling the fabric of his pants as I clutched desperately at them. My vision had distorted into a long tunnel with a light several hundred miles away. The light was Eric's face as he swept me up into his arms and carried me, sobbing, to our bed.

He tried to get me to lie down but I refused, instead getting to my knees and wrapping my arms protectively around myself. "I can't do this any more!" I cried. "I can't, Eric! I'm not a person any more! I don't know what to do! Help me, Eric! This is too much."

I knew I wasn't making sense but I couldn't stop once the floodgates had opened.

He pulled me in his arms and rocked me. I wondered if I was overreacting. I signed up for this. I could envision far worse. But this had become very real. I thought about my friends and family - how could I ever meet their eyes again if they knew about this?

I gave up my freedom, my independence, my schooling, my job, and the life I worked so hard for to be a pet. A fucking pet.

Eric held me until I had cried myself out of tears. Even then I shook violently in his arms, unable to form rational word or thought. Finally my nerves started to calm down, only to have another emotion race up and kick me in the ass: fear. I froze, afraid to look at Eric. He sensed that something had changed.  
"Dina?" he asked gently, his hands on both sides of my face, tilting it up so that he could see my eyes.  
I swallowed nervously and shook my head at him, afraid to say anything that would get me into worse trouble than I already was.

Eric's threat of punishment now loomed large in the back of my mind.  
"You will tell me what is wrong, NOW!" he demanded, the unspoken threat implied.

"Wh- what are you going to do to me?" I whispered in the smallest voice I could manage. I couldn't meet his eyes even though he was still holding onto my face.  
At least I had managed to hold it together until the doctor had left; I had not embarrassed him in front of her.

"I'm sorry, Eric," I told him. "I won't do this again; I promise. I won't break down and cry all over you. Everything is fine." He knew I was lying.

"My bullshit meter is off the charts," he said. Then his face changed, his eyes widening as realization dawned on him. "Are you afraid of me, Dina?" he asked.

"Yes."

I was scared to be punished. I was scared to not go shopping. I was scared that I woudn't get my phone call or my privileges. I was just scared and unsure.

He cupped my face. "I will never harm you. You know this."

"I don't want to upset you," I whispered.

"You will. It's impossible not to. You'll break a rule or make a mistake and I will correct it. Then we move on."

He made it sound so easy.

"So that's it? It's just going to happen? And what happens to me?" My voice was rising and I wasn't even aware of how loud I was getting.

"Do not yell at me...You are new to this. You don't understand everything this type of relationship entails or how many different relationships there are out there. Ours is very unique."

"I'm not stupid," I bit back.

"I never said you are. You are new. You are uninformed."

"Right, because pathetic human me knows nothing. Tell me, oh wise one, all I do not know." I remembered his words about my kind earlier.

"Stop it. I am not saying that...do you hear yourself?" He gripped my arms hard and pulled my face up to his.

I paused and tried to calm myself.

"This is why I keep warning you about your words. You get sarcastic and your temper flares. And even, even in the best of situations your mouth opens before the logical part of your brain can intervene."

He looked at me.

"I want to teach you restraint. Not just because you are in the vampire world now. You are bonded to a vampire Sheriff. But I know your mouth gets you into trouble with humans as well." He nuzzled my hair. "You are so smart, but so impulsive and emotional."

"Passionate," I supplied.

"Maybe too much sometimes," He said solemnly.

He kept holding me and I enjoyed it. I let things get too out of hand and over reacted. This was probably what he meant about 'restraint' and not taking on too much. In this moment I realized, Eric wasn't just making me a good sub; he was making me into a better person.

He was right. I was just as scared as he was that I would fly off at the mouth. I just didn't think he realized that, that he had me so figured out. He understood my big mouth and tried to warn me, but I just got scared. I also had such a hard time with the idea that I *would* fail.

He was going to push me until I went to him and said it was too much - but I didn't think he'd stop. I thought he'd find a way to pull me through.

I didn't know if my ego and competativeness could handle this...

"You can say anything and everything to me. You can ask to speak freely as my bonded. I just want you to think before you speak and be respectful. There is never a need to be defensive with me...you understand that we are not normal?"

I looked up at him. By whose standards, I wondered.

We were certainly too weird for anyone I knew.

"Other vampires do not value their humans. They rarely bond with them and they turn them quickly. You are more than a pet, but in public we can't let that be known. We walk a thin line."

He paused to let it sink in.

"Think of it as acting - you had to take it as an art credit right?" I nodded. "We will act in front of others because our lives depend on it. I will always protect and shield you as much as I can...Always trust me to take care of you and protect you."

I nodded.

"I do."

He kissed my head lingeringly.

"Come. I want to you to clean up for bed and come lie with me."We were quiet for a few moments. I thought about his words and tried to find some of my own.

"It...was just too much, you know? I got scared and embarassed. I'm sorry. I should have handled myself better and trusted you."

"No, I pushed you too hard. I waited for you to come to me and I should have spoken with you."

"Oh no, Eric! You didn't. It's fine. I can do this!"

He lifted his finger. "You are doing it again. You take on too much. You never say no to someone even when they push you too far. You spread yourself thin." He wiped the tears from my cheeks. "You don't have to do everything. You don't have to be perfect right away and you don't have to do things to please others if it hurts you."

"What do you mean I can say no?" I wrinkled my brows in confusion. "I thought I had to do everything you say even if I didn't like it? Can I say no to you?"

He smiled and shook his head. "Remember I told you that my pleasure is more important than your pain?" He continued without waiting for a response. "Sometimes I know I am hurting you, and I enjoy it. I will continue to push you to find your real limits. I don't want you to say no to me, but I do want to know if something is too hard or too painful. I know this is confusing. I will give you something called a safe word. You will say this word to me when you need me to stop whatever is too much for you. I won't punish you for using the safe word but remember, it is only for very extreme situations. I will know if you are using it willfully, and for that you _will_ be punished. Do you understand?"

I nodded even though I was still unsure.

"I will go easier with you. I'll initiate our conversations until you are ready to come to me when you need to without prompting. This is hard, without a doubt. But we can do this."

He kept holding me and I enjoyed it. I let things get too out of hand and over reacted. This was probably what he meant about 'restraint' and not taking on too much. In this moment I realized, Eric wasn't just making me a good sub; he was making me into a better person.

He was right. I was just as scared as he was that I would fly off at the mouth. I just didn't think he realized that, that he had me so figured out. He understood my big mouth and tried to warn me, but I just got scared. I also had such a hard time with the idea that I *would* fail.

He was going to push me until I went to him and said it was too much - but I didn't think he'd stop. I thought he'd find a way to pull me through.

I didn't know if my ego and competativeness could handle this...

"You can say anything and everything to me. You can ask to speak freely as my bonded. I just want you to think before you speak and be respectful. There is never a need to be defensive with me...you understand that we are not normal?"

I looked up at him. By whose standards, I wondered.

We were certainly too weird for anyone I knew.

"Other vampires do not value their humans. They rarely bond with them and they turn them quickly. You are more than a pet, but in public we can't let that be known. We walk a thin line."

He paused to let it sink in.

"Think of it as acting - you had to take it as an art credit right?" I nodded. "We will act in front of others because our lives depend on it. I will always protect and shield you as much as I can...Always trust me to take care of you and protect you."

I nodded.

"I do."

He kissed my head lingeringly.

"Come. I want to you to clean up for bed and come lie with me."


	15. More Training

Hello!

I want to thank everyone for reading, reviewing , and waiting for an update. I thik I replied to all of my messages and reviews. I hope I didn't slight anyone and everyone was satisfied with my response. I truly do read each review and PM, so keep sending them!

If this story gets too intense for anyone I'd like to suggest my fic, Night Cry. Its AH, set over 1000 years ago and our Viking is an actual Viking in it. He is also a sweetie pie in that story.

I don't kid myself that I may lose readers with this story (and I might gain some since there is now a rash of BDSM themed stories popping up). I would just hate for someone to quit all my stories because of this. I write a bit of everything. If one fic doesn't fit you, one of my other ones might. I plan on one day adding more fics, finally finishing Dead But Alive and possibly playing with Eric's Gift (now a one-shot).

I did tweak this chapter quite a bit. Eric isn't evil in this story at all. and I hope we find the parts where he is sweet and don't gloss over them, even if they have to be looked for. I've had a few complaints about our vampire and would like to point out that sometimes he's not being mean or intentional - he just doesn't think or gets in a hurry or is expecting something from Dina that just isn't happening.

WARNING: Graphic sex. Adult Content...Note: Most of these characters are not mine.

* * *

I went to the bathroom and hopped in the shower after pulling my hair into a pony. I wasn't going to wash my hair, just my body. Most of it was just the feel of the scorching water on my skin.

I touched my collar and thought about Eric's words and everything we spoke about. I already called this 'my collar'. I owned it and Eric owned me because of it. I decided to not think about the symbolgy and meanings of that statement this late at night. Maybe one day I'd be used to it. Maybe he'd give me a blue or green one and I'd like wearing it.

I came out of the bathroom in only a towel and Eric was lounging on the bed under the covers. I walked and crawled over him to snuggle under the blankets.

He immediately rolled to hold me. our limbs were so entangled I didn't know where mine began and his ended. I began to feel a soft hum and a wave of contentment as he smothered his body against mine.

Our lips met. Once. Twice. Three times. Quick and desperate, feeling better with each touch.

Our fingers roamed one another's skin and I stroked his legs with my foot. He ran his tongue along my jaw, over my collar and down my chest. his erection was throbbing against me and I shifted to grant him access to me.

His fingers searched out my heat and smeared my juices over my lips. I moaned into his hair while his fingers stroked me and his tongue teased my breasts. I felt his head prodding my center and bucked my hips. I need him inside of me.

He pushed into me and found a steady pace. Our fingers never stopped scratching, exploring, caressing...

Our hands didn't cease grabbing, holding, and rubbing...

Our lips were kept busy licking, kissing, emitting moans and sighs...

Our toes curled with pleasure...

I felt him inside of me...his cock, his fangs, his blood...him.

I think I was inside him too. My blood, my emotions, my love.

I came first, as always. He followed after.

But he didn't pull out of me. His body stayed atop mine, holding me tightly. He stayed inside of me and slowly rocked his hips. I don't know if he even realized he was moving. His pace was so carefree and languid. It s like he wanted to be a part of me and heal all of the problems we had by loving my body.

There was a very clear need in him. This wasn't my normally horny Vampire who fucked me hard in a frenzy. The only thing similar was the night I was attacked and the night before he asked me to change my whole life to be with him. But it was still different...

It was a new part of Eric I'd never seen.

It was his words about needing me and his obvious issues with emotions becoming very real.

I massaged his shoulders and scalp as I thought about this. I imagined all he had seen and the brutality of his world. I couldn't fathom his loneliness, even with Pam. I even thought about how much his emotional self had been tested and in such a short time...the great reveal, joining once more with Pam, the politics, reaching 1000 years of age, Sookie...me...

He leaned up and reached behind us, between the matress and wall. He brought back with him a small knife. I was very surprised, but unafraid.

He slashed his neck and I gasped.

"Drink."

I latched on when his wound came to my lips.

After a few heavenly moments, he pulled his neck back from me, the wound already closing. His mouth crushed against mine, his tongue tasting the last few drops of his blood in my mouth. I gently bit his tongue and licked his fangs. He bucked hard and came inside of me.

He rolled off me and snuggled me against his chest. His finger idly stroked my back until I fell asleep.

I woke up to Eric laying next to me texting. He looked amazing with his sex-tossed hair. I enjoyed looking at the top of his chest that wasn't covered by the blanket.

"I'm not sure if I have to check on something at the bar or not tommorrow." He said unexpectedly. I didn't even know he knew I was awake.

I remembered our bond - of course he knew I was up.

"Okay, am I staying here?"

"Yes, but I'll take you food shopping tomorrow regardless."

I smiled. YES. I got what I wanted.

He chuckled.

"I hope you stay this easy to please, Lover."

I smiled and leaned over to kiss him.

"Go back to sleep. I'm giving you a busy day tomorrow."

I went back to sleep with a smile.

I woke up and went to take care of my human needs. I found another outfit hanging and grimaced. I slipped it on all the same. I was with the biggest perv on the planet.

It was a one piece outfit/dress. I was displeased that it was red, but wasn't surprised. I don't know if I'd call it a V-neck or just say that the top consisted of two long strips that went over my breasts and left my middle bare. The top went around my neck and it had an open back. It showed - no joke - some butt cleavage. But the bottom was the worst...Two more strips covered my bottom and between my legs, leaving my sides bare.

I examined myself in the mirror and tried an experiment. I pulled up the back and my butt was bare. I reached down and grabbed the front of the 'skirt' and sure enough, my mons was exposed. I pulled the sides of my top and my breasts popped right out.

Eric had given himself easy access.

Was it wrong that thinking about how horny he was going to be, was turning me on?

Honestly, this part I could deal with. If he wanted to tie me down, spank me, get rough, and make me orgasm until I couldn't move, I certainly wasn't going to complain.

It was all the other acts of submission that got me.

Eric left a long list for me. I got cozy and began to glance over it. The first thing he asked was for me to write the approximate time I woke up, what I ate, and when I did so. He was so anal. I hoped this doctor and him weren't thinking about putting me on a regular schedule or something. I knew he was going to ask me about my previous doctors and if I ever followed their orders correctly. I wouldn't be able to lie. I didn't think he would let me get away with that when it came to Dr. Ludwig.

I estimated that I'd been awake for maybe 15 minutes. I wrote it down and went to get breakfast. I killed off the last two eggs, had a piece of toast on the side, and drank my precious coffee. I went back and started reading the notebook. He wanted me to write about the last time I asked someone for help and in turn, wrote me about the importance of communciation. What really amazed me was how he quoted my psychology courses and the things I'd said that I didn't think he paid all that much attention to. I knew Eric was around in Freud's day and the lovely time where we had no ethical guidelines for experiments, but never knew he cared a whit about my choice of study. I also knew this meant he'd scrolled around my facebook page and read my posts. I wasn't that bothered by this and didn't even get in a snit about him using my own words to prove a point.

I thought about this carefully. I asked my aunt and uncle to loan me money when a check bounced. I asked a professor to help me with a project.

But I had the money to give right back and it was just some quick cash for dinner.

I already knew what I wanted to do for my class. I was being self-serving by wanting to talk about my project (I was so proud) and by making sure to show my commitment to the professor I would ask for a recommendation from. Any uncertainty on my part was minimal. She agreed with my ideas.

I really couldn't remember the last time I asked for 'help' becuase I truly needed and would admit that aloud. I wrote all this out for Eric.

He had taken away most of my choices. He was now going to make me ask for help, make me work with him, make me less independent, and make me not take on more than I should. It was hard to logically be mad at him for this.

He then told me where to find a laptop and gave me the password. He left me a series of links and videos on BDSM. He wanted me to do some studying. He left comments with some of the pictures. One file was labeled 'part two' and when I tried to click it I needed a different password than the one I had. This made me curious and nervous.

He was trying hard to show me his point of view. He even found an article on submission and feminism. He was trying to be so persausive.

I couldn't lie and say the videos and pictures didn't make me nervous. I knew from some of the comments these were things he wanted to do with me.

I also understood why he was being so hard on me. He wanted to train me and get me used to submitting to him. He said he didn't buy totally into the one school of thought of always putting your sub/slave in their place. He tore apart and analyzed a blog about a Master who had his girl always be on the floor, always use her mouth in place of her hands whenever possible, and made sure to remind her she was owned. He also spanked her at least once a week until her bottom was bright red (yes, there were pictures), just to reinforce their relationship. Eric didn't see this as necessary.

What shocked me was the slaves/subs themselves writing about how they felt. They liked their cages; it made them feel safe. They took pride in their collars. They saw love in pictures that I saw degradation in. Some just liked the kinky sex. Some liked doing these things 24/7 - like me.

It was a lot to absorb.

I wasn't expected to finish it one day or to not go back and re-read later.

I looked over and saw it was close to the time Eric would wake up. I went to eat lunch quickly and write it down in my journal. Today, Eric didn't come out of the room. He called me to him. I got up and adjusted my outfit. I had butterflies in my belly. I remembered to keep my legs open.

"How are you, Lover?" He asked me.

"Fine," I replied.

"You looked ravishing."

And he looked like he was starving and staring at a buffet.

"I'd like to take you now. Present yourself to me," he commanded without rising from the bed.

I hesitated. This was bold. This was unsettling. This was making me hot.

But I didn't know what to do.

"Eric...I don't know how." I knew these were the word he wanted to hear. I was communicating with him.

"Turn around." I did as he said. "Drop to your knees...lean forward on your forearms and keep your ass in the air...Can you reach behind you and lift your skirt?"

I tried and managed to toss it up enough to expose myself to him.

"Good...Your head should be on the floor. Pull your hands together. You can put your forehead to the floor or turn and lay on your cheek; I have no preference."

I was almost shaking. This was a great act of submission. This was a huge act of domination on his part. I wanted him and in this moment, wearing my collar and an outfit that left my pussy and ass exposed, I felt like he was my Master. I belonged to him and he was going to 'take me'. He was demanding what was his.

"I'll come to you when I'm ready."

Oh god. He was going to make me wait. To stay in this position where I was offering myself to him; where he could see the most private parts of my body. I was dripping wet anticipating him and struggling with the meaning behind our actions right now.

It felt like forever, but it was only a few minutes before he was kneeling behind me. His cock nudged my center and he purred in satisfaction to feel me so ready for him. He thrust into me in one swoop and I reared up. Such sweet pain. Such intense pleasure.

He pushed me back down. "Stay!" He ordered me, his voice hoarse.

He began to thrust hard into me. I felt the rug rubbing against my skin. I came quickly, within two minutes. His pace never slowed and neither did the exquisite mix of pain and pleasure. His hand wrapped under me and found my breasts. He pulled my top to the side and pinched my nipples roughly as I came for the second time.

He came inside of me and grabbed my hair. He pulled me up against his body, panting. His cock slid out of me, only to be replaced by his fingers.

His hand appeared in front of my face, his fingers covered our combined fluids. He pushed them into my mouth and I began to suck them clean. He growled in satisfaction.

I finished and he pulled his fingers from my mouth and stood up. He offered his hand and pulled me up. He led me into the living room and we sat on the couch.

He stroked the hair out of my face.

"Did you have a good day?"

"Yes. And my night has been wonderful so far." I smiled at him.

"Glutton. I like that." He smirked and turned to grab my note book.

He scanned through it and nodded approvingly.

"I know the store is open 24/7, but some areas of it close. I want to get you there before the deli and bakery are unattended. We'll discuss this later. Did you look at the laptop?"

"Yes...interesting." I said mildly.

"We can discuss those too, at length...for now I want to work with you more on pleasing me and thanking me for taking you out tonight."

He had a very pleased and lustful look on his face. Here we go again...I'd enjoy most of this.

"Come here...on your knees...now wait a minute."

He put me in the same position and place as the other night.

He moved at vampire speed to the other room and I waited anxiously.

He came back holding something bondage-looking in his hands. I tensed.

He sat in front of me and placed the items down next to him.

"These are cuffs for your ankles and wrists." He held one up.

"And this is a collar with a long leather strap that goes down your back. I'll connect your cuffs to the rings on it." He held it up and gestured to chains also on the couch.

I didn't have a chance to think before he started getting me ready. He was excited.

"Give me your hands."

He carefully placed cuffs on both wrists. They were black and blue leather with a soft lining. They weren't so bad.

He stood and walked behind me.

"Give me your ankle."

I moved around to accommodate him and his minstrations. He cuffed each ankle.

"Hold your head up. This can fit over your regular collar."

He put the very thick leather on me. I felt the strap on my back once he fastened it. He reached around me for the chains.

"Hands behind your back."

I think he was in a rush. To get me to the store or have me pleasure him? I wondered.

"Feel this? I could attach your elbows if I wanted or your hands and I could pick how high I wanted them. Right now I want you comfortable."

I relaxed my hands and he chained them in that position.

"I'm going to attach each ankle to your back and then together. I won't strain them."

He proceeded to take away my mobility. I felt so uncomfortable but I trusted him. I was so disempowered right now, but I knew I had nothing to fear.

Once he was done he sat in front of me. He was naked and his erection was ready for me.

"I want you to suck me. I notice you don't take a lot of me into your mouth. This is fine since the most senstive part is on top." He touched the head of his cock. "But I want to teach you to take in more. I don't expect you to deepthroat. No woman - no human woman - has ever been able to do so."

I was relieved. I think his cock would touch my intestines were I to swallow it whole.

"I'll let you start."

I took a breath and leaned in. I began by kissing softly - like he taught me. Then I licked his tasty precum. I began to suck him in my mouth, bit by bit and I bobbed my head gently. I sucked his head hard for a few moments. His hands fisted in my hair and I jerked away.

I felt suffocated being restrained, his dick in my mouth, and his hands holding my head.

"Shh...Get used to me holding your head. I won't push it down yet."

Yet? did he just say yet?

I started to suck him and take him deeper in my mouth. I felt him touch my throat and released some of him, before going back down. I didn't go past where his head touched the back of my teeth. I kept bobbing and sucking him.

"Stop." He tugged on my hair.

I looked up at him.

"I need more than that...This time I will push into your mouth. I won't move your head."

I was nervous, but began again.

He moaned for me as I sucked him. After a minute or two, He started to thrust into my mouth. It wasn't horrible. The first time he hit the back of my throat I went to pull away and he held my head still. He didn't go farther than this and I began to feel like I could handle it.

He thrusted a little deeper and I almost gagged. He kept going and wouldn't let me pull away. I made noises of protest and he finally let me go.

"That was better...It s not uncommon for some gagging or tears. Don't be alarmed."

I knew this from all the porn I'd watched over a lifetime and from today. Especially today.

I still hated his calmness and his words. I wondered if he'd put something the size of his penis in his mouth. Doubtful.

"Lets try a bit more. I still won't move your head."

He gestured at his cock impatiently when I hesitated. I leaned in and took about two or three inches right off the bat. He still pushed. This time I did start to gag a bit. He eased up, but kept his member in my mouth. He thrusted and tears welled in my eyes. All normal, right?

I was turned on by pleasing him, but this was hard and I felt so ...Scared? Uncomfortable? Nervous? Anxious?

I didn't know - just not good becuase I couldn't move.

"Okay...Lets pause," He released my head and let me lift my mouth off of him.

He wiped my eyes for me.

"You alright?" He asked.

"Yea." I nodded.

"Good. I want you to take me in your mouth, as far as before and hold me for a few seconds. Holding me will help your gag reflex. Remember to breathe through your nose."

I nodded and sniffled. This time I started right away, hoping to do better and to finish.

He touched the back of my throat and I held for one second. I wanted to pull away, but he kept me still. I gagged.

He let me up for air and we tried again. And again.

I never got past 2 seconds.

"This isn't right. I know from experience how good you are at this. Let's slow down a bit here. Try to relax, okay? Breathe deep a few times. He put both hands on my shoulders and squeezed a couple of times, staring into my eyes. His own were full of affection. He cupped my face in his palm and I leaned into it. I took a couple of calming breaths. Better?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yes. Thank you Eric."

He leaned down and kissed my forehead, his hands back on my shoulders. Now, I want you to breathe through your nose. Start now."

He put his hand over my mouth. I inhaled and exhaled through my nose, over and over again.

"Now I want you to inhale with your mouth and exhale with your nose. Go ahead." He moved his hand. I complied.

"Good, Very good. Now when you inhale I'm going to push my cock into your mouth. Its not my size that s your problem. Its your fear. I won't choke you. Trust me, Lover."

He was right. I leaned forward and he held my head.

"I might push a bit on your head. Just to make it easier. Relax. Breathe."

I took two breaths. He pushed his cock into my mouth on the third one. He went in deep and pulled back out. He had me breathe again. We repeated this twice more. The next time he had me hold his cock. I lasted about 3 seconds - my best time yet.

I reminded myself to breathe and not be afraid.

We found a rhythm and he actually pushed even more of his dick into my mouth. It was hard, but I managed.

He began to moan and sigh. He had me stop.

"You did so well...I'm proud of you. Now make me cum. I don't care how you do it. Then we'll leave."

I smiled. This I could do.

I began to twirl my tongue around his head. I wanted to pelase him and show him I was good at this - just not at taking too much of him. I didn't want him to think I was lacking or look for blowjobs elsewhere.

I sucked his head hard and he groaned. I kept smiling around his dick.

I surprised him by taking in quite a bit of him. Not as much as when he held my head, but more than usual. I didn't get bothered when he held my hair this time. I didn't play around and sucked him hard. He came fast and I swallowed his load.

"You were wonderful." I smiled. He began to release me from my bonds.

"I left an outfit for you in the bathroom. I'll change in the bedroom so we don't get sidetracked and we'll leave."

I kept smiling and was happy to have my limbs back once more. Once I was toally free, Eric grabbed the side of my face, with his hand on the side of my throat. He kissed me before I realized what he was doing. I moaned into his mouth and finally got to run my fingers through his hair.

He broke the kiss.

"Lets go...before something starts that we don't have time to finish."

I laughed. He was insatiable.

* * *

**STORY PIMPING TIME:**

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	16. Shopping

Here it is!...finally...

Sorry for the delay. my schedule is hecktic to say the least and my coauthor has some serious family issues at the moment.

This chapter has some humor, some more character insight and I truly hope everyone enjoys it.

I am still planning on doing another author chat as soon as I can find a date and I'll post it on my profile for anyone would like to join me to discuss my fics. In the mean time I try to reply to as many reviews and PMs as I can. I really hope people understand Eric and Dina in this story and can be patient as we watch our character grow [closer with one another].

_as always._

_**thank you** for being **patient**, please **review**, **critisism** is accepted, **compliments** are encouraged, and **suggestions** are always taken under consideration!_

* * *

I walked in the bathroom and on the back of the door were three hangers. The first one had a pair of sandstone khakis. They looked like the pair I had wanted, but thought were too expensive. I looked them over and moved them aside. I found a plain blue t-shirt in front of a bright blue hoodie. This wasn't just any hoodie - it was from my Amazon wish list! I'd wanted this outfit for month and always had a bill in my way. Eric had not only ordered this for me, but hid it in the house and got it into the bathroom without me noticing!

I was so happy! It was also shocking that he was going to let me cover up so much, since he kept me next to naked most of the time. I guess he didn't want people seeing what he considered to be his. I wanted to squeal with joy over the clothes and his thoughtfulness.

I slid out of my clothes and put a bra on. I wasn't surprised that he hadn't given me a pair of underwear. I got dressed and looked myself over in the mirror. I looked nice and normal - except for the collar. I zipped the hoodie all the way up and pulled my hair around my shoulders. I couldn't cover the leather up. I was happy to not be so exposed when I was in public, but the fact that I belonged to Eric wasn't going to be ignored. I remembered wearing a spiked collar in high school. I thought I was badass, but now I was embarrassed to have a plain slave collar on. I was glad he hadn't shown an indication of planning to leash me even though my collar had a very noticeable D-ring.

I walked out and Eric was standing by the door slipping on his flip flops. He put on a pair of blue jeans with a black and blue track jacket. I thought we looked very nice, but very different standing next to each other. We complemented one another: my light pants and bright hoodie; his dark jeans and jacket with a deep blue stripe. His very large height and my smaller size. I slid on a pair of flip flops as well. His were plain and mine were decorated with colored beads.

"Ready?" he asked me.

"Yes; thank you for the outfit. I love it."

"You look very good in it," he said with a smile. He reached for me and I slid easily into his embrace. "Almost too good!" he growled possessively and I rubbed my chin and cheek against his chest as I looked up at him. I wondered if he could see my obvious love for him in my eyes. His passionate kiss felt natural to me as he backed me up against the wall and punched the code to open the door. I couldn't imagine living any other way of life with any other man. Even if it meant not going these changes. Even if I got to go back to school, on a physical campus, and not be awake all night. And even if I never had to be submissive again, I wouldn't leave him.

Eric was it for me.

I looked up the poorly lit staircase. I was going to have to talk to him about some new bulbs. He saw me hesitate and looked at me.

"It's dark. You need more bulbs."

"I don't require much light to see. I'll get someone to install them; come here." He pulled me against him and swung me into his arms to carry me up the stairs.

"I can do it during the day if I have a ladder and bulbs," I offered

"No!" He said firmly. "You will no manual labor. Any services you do will be for me only. I will have someone put in lights for you soon."

Well...that was lovely. He was turning me into a delicate doll; a delicate doll he was going to fuck raw later, but a delicate doll nonetheless. I can't say I really felt demeaned. Eric respected me, even as he dominated me. He never treated me as unintelligent. He laughed with me and was going to pay for my education. He cared about my well being and who I was as a person. He may have wanted me to change - be the perfect submissive, control my temper, monitor my big mouth, not over do myself - but not who I was as a person. And some of the changes he wanted benefited me. His damn logical and pragmatic reasoning was hard to argue with. I mean, was I really going to bitch about getting the outfit I'd been pining for and not being allowed to do work that wasn't enjoyable to begin with?

We got out of the house and into his corvette in record time. He drove like a maniac and I was pretty sure I had at least 5 near death experiences in the 20 minutes it took to get the supermarket. I thought my hands were going to leave an imprint on the side of his door I was gripping it so hard. Eric paid me no mind and I wondered how he kept his license. We both walked into the store and I hesitated before grabbing a cart. I guess I was going to push and he would follow. I hoped he didn't get frustrated if I was slow. I also hoped he'd grab some things off the top shelf for me so I didn't have to ask for help or discreetly climb.

"Umm, Eric? How long do you expect me to be?"

"I'm going to stay with you. How long are you usually?"

"An hour or so. I like to check all the aisles, look at prices...ya know," I said, nervous.

I don't know why I said he knew. He had no idea. He hadn't eaten food in a millennia.

"Don't worry about prices. Just grab it." His voice was stern and I knew this was an order. I fought to not roll my eyes.

We started walking and I grabbed some lunch meats and bacon. We got to the deli and didn't have to grab a number because there was only one person in front of us. Eric watched me very carefully. I ordered a few half pounds of their salads and pudding. Then I got my hot dogs and more meat so I could make some quick sandwiches while Eric rested. He seemed fascinated by me and my shopping skills.

"Why did you get half pounds? Was it the price?" He spoke into my ear as we walked away.

"No; I just want to make sure I don't get too much. They are perishable and taste better the faster you eat them," I explained.

He nodded, satisfied with my answer. We did pretty good until we got to the condiments. I tossed in the extra large family size ketchup without an issue, but when my fingers grabbed the herb and garlic marinade he stopped me. It was pulled from my hand before I could register what was happening.

"Absolutely not." He placed it back on the shelf.

"It's my favorite!" I protested.

"Find a new favorite. What would you do with this anyway?"

"Make my chicken and rice."

"Make it with something else"

"There is hardly any garlic..." I began

"No. Now walk away. "

I glanced to see if anyone was watching us. I decided to not make a scene or a fuss. But I really had a taste for my chicken.

As I silently pouted we walked farther up the aisle, until Eric reached around me and covered my hands with his, stopping our movement as he held me in his embrace. His mouth was very close to my ear. "You are my only food source. Do you want to make me sick?" he asked me sincerely.

He must have felt my irritation. I still wasn't used to the blood bond; I'd forgotten that he could feel my emotions. I looked down at my shoes, realizing that I was being selfish. I knew garlic bothered Vampires, but I hadn't put two and two together. It hadn't occurred to me that I could make Eric sick with something I ate.

Of course I would give up my garlic marinade! He was way more important to me than some seasoning product. Then I thought what a weird conversation this was. If I tried to explain it to anybody who wasn't around Vampires regularly, no way would they get it!

It was actually really romantic. A lot of people said they couldn't live without their lover, or that he or she was the only thing keeping them going. With Eric and me, that was true as long as we were together. I really was keeping him going. I kept him alive- even if he was sorta dead. Our relationship was special in a way, a human/human relationship could never be. Eric needed me. In a different way than I needed him, but he needed me. Eric provided me with everything, including my food. I gave him my blood to sustain him. He gave me his to heal me and attend to my health, so I was always 100% (maybe even 110% with the extra strength and hyper senses). We needed each other. The thought made me smile to myself.

"Why are you smiling?"

"Oh...its just nice- in a weird kinda way - that I'm the only one keeping you going." I blushed. I sounded somewhere between a twit and a lovesick schoolgirl.

Eric only smiled.

We kept up in silence. I hesitated when I saw the price of the Washington Cherries. Eric saw this and grabbed a bag and put it in my cart without a word. I forced a smile. We finished with the produce and went to get me my potato bread. I was looking through the loaves when he crouched beside me and kept his voice low. I didn't know if he wanted to avoid unnecessary attention or if he was so used to being quiet, it was habit.

"You aren't checking prices are you?" He sounded annoyed.

"No, just how fresh they are," I replied and I could feel him relax. He seemed genuinely interested when I showed him the expiration dates and colored ties on the loaves. I explained how the later the expiration date, the fresher the bread and that the tie's color represented the day it was shipped to the store. I'd just have to get over my bargain shopping if I was going to be shopping with Eric. I knew I couldn't joke with him about getting me that diamond encrusted Ipod holder for a long time now. He would actually do it. But my penny pinching was a hard habit to break. There were no more interruptions until I put a bag of frozen chicken fingers into the cart.

"Chickens have fingers now?" He asked incredulously.

"It's just a name." I laughed at his expression and would have shrugged it off, but he stood in front of my cart and read the ingredients. "I don't trust misleading food. And why is almost everything in a can or a box?"

I tried to not laugh. "They are pieces of chicken shaped like fingers. The packaging helps preserve them."

He made a face and still didn't release my chicken.

"I've been eating those for years. They're safe." I really hoped no one was watching us.

"I'll trust that you know more about food than I do. I've seen many humans grabbing cans and boxes. But I want you to know I don't trust this stuff." He dropped the bag into the cart and continued. "I am going to do research to make sure you are eating what's best for you." He gave me a serious look and raised an eyebrow. I groaned inwardly.

"Thank you." I nodded, unsure of what to say. I think he might have gotten really mad if I would have laughed. It was too funny to watch him worrying over a bag of frozen chicken. I was going to be quick getting my instant mashed potatoes.

Eric was fairly sweet to me, if not unnervingly quiet. I love the chatter of humans. Eric only bantered casually with me when we were alone. He was very helpful in pulling things down for me. Everything was great until we got to the back aisles by the pharmacy. I knew I couldn't buy razors and wondered how he'd feel about my bodywash suggestions.

But the worst was going to be my need of feminine care products.

I wondered if I could send him away. I knew I couldn't and decided to bite the bullet.

"What is this aisle for?" Eric asked, peeking around.

"For women," I said quietly, but he heard me perfectly.

"For your bleeding?" He looked happy for some reason. I wanted to stake him.

"Shh...Yes, we'll be in and out in a moment." I said, trying to keep calm.

"What are tampons? Why do they have pearls on them? This isn't a jewelry store," he asked, reaching for a box.

I wanted to die, and I looked around surreptitiously to make sure nobody else was around. The only person I saw was an old man near the other end of the aisle where the adult diapers were sold. I decided to distract him and not come back to this aisle. I would figure out what to do later.

"I forgot something back in the produce section, Eric!" I said, and quickly started to move away from the offending feminine products.

I was walking as fast as I could, but he was faster. He used his damn Vampire speed and was behind me in less than a second. I squeaked a little as his hands covered mine like they had the last time he'd stopped me. He squeezed more firmly this time and then spun me so that I was facing him, trapped between him and the cart. I lost my balance and had to hold on to his arms for support. The old man looked at us briefly as though deciding whether to interfere. One look at Eric's angry face was enough to change his mind. He quickly left the aisle.

Eric's fingers appeared under my chin, forcing me to look up at him. It was hard, considering our close proximity. His expression was dangerous.

"Do not ever walk away from me like that!" He enunciated each word and then seemed to be waiting for something. Finally I nodded to tell him I understood.

He relaxed a little bit and then leaned down as though to kiss me, but he turned his head at the last second.

"These products fascinate me," he said softly. "I have always wondered what they do and now I have you to answer my questions. And you _will_ answer my questions." I was too nervous to speak so I just nodded again.

He continued. "When we go out in public together I need to know that you will stay with me." I nodded again, squeezing his biceps for emphasis.

He seemed to want to make a point so I just let him go ahead and talk. He unzipped his jacket part of the way and reached inside to pull something out. I was horrified to see that it was a leash! It was made of bright silver chain except for the leather loop that he would hold if he…. I swallowed loudly, my mouth hanging open, gaping at it. "You will stay by my side at all times unless I give you permission to leave," he said firmly. "Do not make me use this!"

My eyes widened. He wouldn't, would he? I wanted to scream and I definitely didn't want that on me. He took my stunned silence as agreement, put it away, and I took a shaky breath. He began to walk back to where we were standing before. I turned the cart around and followed reluctantly.

We started with the tampons. He actually pulled one out of the box and opened it. I was bouncing foot to foot, looking all around, hoping no one could see us. I was going to die from embarrassment.

"How does this work? What is the string for?" He had managed to push one out of its holder and was holding it up by the string like a dead mouse by the tail. Then he grabbed it and started trying to open the layers. I wished the earth would open up and swallow me whole.

"You, ummm, insert it and when it's full, you use the string to pull it out and flush it," I said quickly, wanting this ordeal to be over.

"This goes inside of you? It catches your blood and you flush it?" He asked incredulously. "Absolutely not! You will not be wasting your blood like that!"

"Wasting?" I asked, confused.

"I plan on having my meals from between your legs when you bleed. This..,cotton intruder isn't welcome in our home!" He shoved it back in the box and tossed the box in the cart.

Okay...I couldn't be overly surprised by his 'meal' comment. But he was so confident when he said it; it kinda made me feel grossed out. I knew people who had their 'red wings,' but...eeewww! I had to reason with him. I had a feeling he'd be dining however he pleased no matter what I said, but I needed something while he rested.

"I still need something while you sleep," I told him, picturing myself sitting on a giant cup all day so he could have every drop. I shivered.

"What else is there?" He walked until he found the pads and started looking at the boxes.

"Wings? Are they made with feathers?"

I was back to feeling like laughing, after being so mortified. Eric was going to drive me insane! "No, you attach them to the sides of your underwear to help hold them in place."

"But I don't allow you to wear underwear...I don't like any of these. They restrict my access to you. That's unacceptable."

I was beginning to get exacerbated. Eric was reminding me of a child not getting his way.

"No matter what we buy, its going to 'restrict' you. But we *_need_* something!" I stressed to him.

"Which do you prefer? Why?"

"Tampons. They leak less and can stay in longer," I replied.

"Won't these…pads be easier and faster to remove?" He asked, saying the word pads as though he was speaking a foreign language.

"Yes, but they have to be changed more often. It's a hassle." I never thought I'd have to explain this and try to justify my purchasing choices to someone. He looked deep in thought.

"Why don't we get both? We can alternate."

I wasn't adverse to a pad on a 'light' day.

"Get both. You can get however many you need for during the day. As soon as I rise, they will be disposed of and you will be available for me." He dictated.

"What are we going to do, lay in bed? I'll make a mess!"

"I'm unconcerned. Your blood isn't dirty to me. You won't have to lift a finger or do any work while you have your monthly flow. I'll take care of you. After all, you are giving me the best treat of my life." He gave me a fangy smile.

I had no idea how he could be so caring and sweet, and so gross and selfish all at the same time. I took a breath and just forced myself to let it go. I reached for some boxes and he looked over each one before placing them in the cart.

"What else is in this female section?" Eric asked more to himself than to me. He started checking all the products. I was his tour guide.

"What is douche?"

"It's for women to clean themselves."

"Their woman parts? Why is it...flavored?" He actually opened one and wet his finger, making a face after he tasted it. "Disgusting!"

This was going to be hard. Technically doctors recommended never using it, but some women swore by it. I knew many ladies embarrassed by having strong odors, most of which were imagined. "Some women like to smell different. Its more cosmetic."

He made a disgruntled noise. "You silly humans these days. There is nothing dirty about being a woman. I want you to smell like one and not like fruit." He shoved the box back on the shelf, none too gently. I smiled. It was really nice to have a man like Eric - blood drinking aside. So many men were grossed about by normal odors or by menstruation. I once had a boyfriend who was very hostile about me wearing pantyliners to bed because he said he could smell them. It really made me feel horrible.

Eric, on the other hand, loved what my body did naturally. I wondered if he'd have me sit on a an ice cube tray, pop in some tooth picks, and make him bloody popsicles. I decided to not say that aloud and give him any ideas.

After that Eric said he was done with this section. Maybe he'd explore more next time, but he was too disgusted with 'dumb humans and their idiotic views' to stay any longer. I didn't reply to any of these comments. We were finally at the checkout lane and I was so happy!

"Go, sit by the bank. I don't want you watching the prices...Now!" He commanded when I hesitated. I walked past the cashier and sat down on the bench by the bank. This night hadn't been that bad and I got all my food. I was happy.

I relaxed a bit and closed my eyes. I was still adjusting to being up all night. I hadn't worked out all the kinks. Eric touched my shoulder and jolted me back to the present. "Let's get home."

We walked to the car and I tried to help with putting the bags in the trunk, but Eric waved me off and told me to get in the car. I didn't argue because I was still sleepy. I pulled on my seatbelt for extra safety and laid my head back. I opened my eyes when Eric appeared beside me, firing up the engine.

"Rest. We'll be home soon." He said kindly.

I nodded and fell asleep. It would be a nice little cat nap before we got home and talked about what came up at the store. And did god knows what...


	17. The Night Before With Eric POV

Hello All!

So sorry for the long time between updates. Sadly RL is a b*tch. Both my coauthor and I have been feeling the drag. I can't make any promises, but I haven't stopped making notes about my fics in my journal everyday. I can say I'm committed to these fics even if it takes time.

I'd like to thank everyone who voted in the poll on my profile. As always I take all suggests seriously. I tried to add a bit of everything into this chapter. I appreciate any and all reviews. I may update the poll with a new question.

I am so glad there are still people who read my fics, post reviews, set alerts, and add these stories to their favorite lists. It makes me smile even when I'm having a long, bad day.

*enjoy!*

[one more note at the bottom]

* * *

Previously

"Go, sit by the bank. I don't want you watching the prices...Now!" He commanded when I hesitated. I walked past the cashier and sat down on the bench by the bank. This night hadn't been that bad and I got all my food. I was happy.

I relaxed a bit and closed my eyes. I was still adjusting to being up all night. I hadn't worked out all the kinks. Eric touched my shoulder and jolted me back to the present. "Let's get home."

We walked to the car and I tried to help with putting the bags in the trunk, but Eric waved me off and told me to get in the car. I didn't argue because I was still sleepy. I pulled on my seatbelt for extra safety and laid my head back. I opened my eyes when Eric appeared beside me, firing up the engine.

"Rest. We'll be home soon." He said kindly.

I nodded and fell asleep. It would be a nice little cat nap before we got home and talked about what came up at the store. And did god knows what...

* * *

I felt like I was being jolted and moved around, but couldn't figure out why. I think I was in the car. Maybe. It would make sense that I was in the car and moving. If only my eyes would open I could see where I was.

I started to go downwards and landed somewhere soft. My eyes finally opened to see Eric above me.

"Go back to sleep."

He sped off at vampire speed. He must have carried me from the car to the bed. I let my eyes shut again, or they shut of their own accord, either way. I didn't let myself fall into a deep sleep, I wanted to get up and be with Eric when he came back.

He came back soon and I was still half asleep.

"Hey, sorry I fell asleep," I mumbled and yawned

While we lived together, Eric still spent a great deal of time dead as a doornail. I valued our nights together. I began to notice it wasn't just how much I loved him; It wasn't just the left-over feelings I had from my assault, or attempted assault - he did physically hurt me, but not sexually - from Merlottes, but it was the power I had given him that left me feeling a little shaken. It made me want to reach out to him and gain reassurance. It made me crave his affection and tenderness; to reinforce the feeling that no matter what he could* do, he wouldn't harm me. In short, I was needy and Eric didn't seem the least bit bothered by it.

He crawled into bed with me and wrapped his arms around me. I sighed, feeling content.

"Thank you for taking me."

"You don't have to thank me for taking care of you. That's a given," he said, and kissed my forehead.

I relaxed against him. I could give into my lazy side and not work - it wouldn't be overly hard to do so. I had a penchant for slothfulness sometimes. I still felt a bit weird with being completely financially dependent on him. I had had partners do the majority of spending money before, because I was in school full-time and not working, but I'd had help from my family. But now, I lived with Eric. I didn't work. He was going to pay my tuition. He provided me with food, clothing, and shelter. This was certainly an adjustment. Eric hadn't done anything too physically kinky to me and I was already having to make changes. I'd thought the physical parts of our relationship would be the hardest, but they were slow coming; I hadn't even been truly punished yet. The lifestyle changes and the emotional parts of this relationship were hard on me. Maybe the hardest thing.

"What are you thinking?" Eric interrupted my thoughts

"Life….us… okay, the money thing." I decided to be semi-honest. I was still bothered by the fact that I had no income and Eric was covering everything. There was no point to bring up my issues with our relationship- I would just have to wait and work on my training.

"We're bonded. We are beyond financial issues."

He said this with such certainty that I nodded my head. I immediately thought about this and paused. Were we married or something?

"Dina, it's my job to care for you. Allow me to do it in peace."

"Fine. But you don't have to be extravagant. When have I ever gone after your money?" We both knew he had a lot of it.

"You have not. But you will have excellence in everything. I will not settle, for you or for myself. You will never again have only the basic of anything."

"But…" I started to say.

"This is non-negotiable. Now, we have plans to make for your day."

I was sufficiently silenced. He pulled me up and led me to the living room. I followed, mentally preparing myself to absorb whatever information he gave me. I didn't think I'd ever get anywhere with the money thing and decided to drop it. For now.

"Your stylist is coming tomorrow. I'm going to give you a code for leaving and coming back to our living space. It will only last between noon and 5pm, so you need to be on time. I'll write down the code and leave it on the table for you before dawn."

He paused and looked at me. I nodded. I had to be on time. I was good at being punctual.

"Bobby will be waiting in the living room upstairs. He'll escort you to the room where your stylist will work. It's the same one that Dr. Ludwig used."

Oh, fucking great. I don't know what was worse: that asshole Bobby Burnham or the memories I had of that room. Not to mention the idea of an 'escort'. First I can't leave the house because I'm being trained and now I can't even be alone in the house. The physical parts of this whole D/s thing were nowhere near as significant as everything else. I was sure of it.

"What's wrong?" He looked at me, his brow raised.

I kept forgetting how well he felt me – and how it was hard for me to feel him unless he was feeling something intense or I really concentrated. It was unnerving to think about. I couldn't imagine anything more private than my emotions and Eric had an Access All Areas pass to them at any given time. I was really starting to feel shaken about this when he started to rub my back.

"Calm down …You'll get used to being this tightly bound to me. You'll learn to love it….Now, tell me what upset you."

I almost wanted to scoff at the idea that I'd love Eric being in my head, but restrained myself. He knew I didn't believe him, but said nothing. At least he was polite about our bond.

"I don't like having a babysitter." I decided to not explain that I hated Bobby. I wasn't going to overreact and get someone fired because I didn't like them. He hadn't done anything horrible and he was utterly devoted to Eric.

"I can't say there will ever be a time when you will be on your own again," he began and I gasped. I'd thought this was only a part of training. "Even after you are trained, I won't have you spending too much time away from me. And with your penchant for getting into trouble, I will be insisting on some form of security."

I tried to form words. I couldn't exactly deny that, from the first time I met Eric, I had found myself in some rather dangerous situations. But nothing warranted security. My thoughts were interrupted by my vampire.

"Dina, I see you trying to form an argument. Please save your breath. Your safety is my responsibility. I won't budge."

I think it was scary how he managed to sound so calm while he was making choices for my life, regardless of how I felt.

"These changes seem like a lot because they are new. But most will be gradual, and so much a part of your everyday life that you won't even notice how different your life is now from the one you had."

The life I had. Everything from my last moment at Merlottes was part of a life that no longer existed. I was Eric's Bonded. I wasn't a waitress; I wasn't a student (I'd never primarily be one again, either); I wasn't even a friend or a girl with family. I only had others when Eric allowed me to contact them. I couldn't believe I was close to meltdown again. I was on a rollercoaster…

"You will journal about this as soon as you have time. Get everything out and bring your concerns to me. Dawn is too close and I need you now."

I looked in his eyes and nodded. Later. Tomorrow. Soon. I needed to be with him right now and get ready for tomorrow. I took some deep breaths and tried to calm my mind.

Eric reiterated his information on the security system. I had to leave and be back on time. The doors wouldn't open if I was late or too early when leaving. He wouldn't be pleased if I found myself locked out from our daytime living space. No one knew this code and I should keep it that way. He asked if I understood, and I nodded.

He then went on to tell me to not eat tomorrow until he rose. He also said my outfit would be simple. I raised an eyebrow. I wasn't going to leave this room dressed in the typical outfits Eric left for me. He gave me an exasperated look and told me I'd wear a simple dress I could slip on and off. I felt a little embarrassed. I knew better than to think Eric would allow anyone else to see me unclothed. Or any other males shall I say.

I asked if I could get a snack now and he told me to keep it small.

I hopped up and headed to the kitchenette. I didn't see any bags on the counter so I guessed Eric had put everything away. I actually didn't see any food on the table except for my loaf of bread. I opened up the fridge and started laughing. Every shelf was crammed with food. But in Eric's defense, my family-sized cereal took up a lot of room. Did I mention he put dry cereal in the refrigerator?

I busted out laughing and felt Eric's fingers on the fridge door. I stopped laughing. I hated it when he did that vampire sneak-up thing.

"What's so funny?" He looked confused.

"Cereal doesn't need to be refrigerated."

He gave me a blank look.

"Half of these things can go in the cabinets."

"Dina, humans need their food kept properly cold. They get sick if it is not." He said this with perfect confidence and conviction. I was fairly sure he had read it almost verbatim from a website.

"True, but some foods have preservatives and don't need the cold to preserve them. Didn't you ever take a peek around my kitchen?" I honestly couldn't remember if he had gone in there at all.

"I will once again allow you to pull things from the ice box and put them in the cabinets as you see fit. But I will be double-checking this and will be displeased if you make yourself sick in any way or risk your health."

With this he left the room. Eric could never seem to end a conversation without having the last word. It took me a few minutes to get everything put away. Eric had nothing in the cabinets so I had a lot of room to work with. I also noted he only had a handful of utensils and only one pan and one pot. I decided I'd have to ask him to get more. I had used more than one pot at a time before, so I considered this to be necessity and not a luxury. Although, I realized I would be the only one using the forks and spoons and I wouldn't be cooking for anyone else anytime soon. I was done putting things away before I decided if I really needed more kitchen supplies or not. I made myself a small turkey sandwich and went into the living room. Eric was sitting on the couch with the TV on softly, texting.

Eric's POV

My human had fallen back to sleep almost as soon as I put the key in the ignition. I drove quite slowly so I wouldn't have to brake too hard and wake her. She is entirely too distrustful of my driving capabilities.

I could feel her exhaustion. It was more than a need for sleep. She had been through quite a bit. Two threatening encounters in one week was a lot for a mortal to handle. Not to mention our relationship, and the dramatic changes she had begun making.

I wasn't quite sure where I got all my newfound patience from. Perhaps it was her blood, calming me. Granted it had been years since my food had been scarce, but I couldn't remember the last time I had 24/7 availability for feeding. It might have been our blood-sharing that enabled me to feel her emotions. I was literally empathetic to her. Or, of course, it could have been her love.

Pam's love was not as intense as Dina's. I had never bonded with a human so I couldn't say for certain why this was. It could be her human state versus Pam being a vampire. Pam might just run a bit colder than most or Dina might just love stronger because of who she is. Either way, I wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. I had her love and I was going to keep it.

I don't think she understood the changes I was making to my own lifestyle. I'm sure she'd feel they paled in comparison to what I asked of her. My home was never set up for humans. The upstairs looked fairly normal during the day and could be sold to a human buyer. I'd never actually used the oven or other appliances but had them tested yearly. I had the small kitchen down here more for an emergency when I might have to take a human down here with me for a period of time. I'd then probably drain them since they saw where I slept during the day. I never thought I'd have a human living with me here. I realized that the place wasn't quite as ready for her as I had hoped when she pointed out the lack of lighting. She had never been upstairs at night, but would probably find many rooms and parts of the hallway to be too dark for her to see adequately. Bobby was going to have a lot of work ahead of him.

I had truly hoped my lair would be enough for us. I hadn't gone through all of her stuff, but doubted most of it would fit down here. I was also noticing it was hard to fit all of her food into the refrigerator. I hoped she knew I'd get her more and she didn't have to stock up. I began to wonder if the appliances down here were too small. Caring for my very own human was a far harder task than I ever assumed it would be.

Overall, I think things were working out well. I found myself so pleased with her I couldn't help but be gentler and more forgiving when she made small slip-ups. I knew eventually she'd do something I couldn't ignore without punishment. I wondered how she'd react after we finally went through her belongings and I showed her what she would keep and what she would discard. At least everything she lost would be replaced. I already had enough furniture for both of us and actually enjoyed buying her clothes. I'd always let Pam get her own things using my money. I had made all of the purchases for Dina in full, from picking them out to arranging for the shipping. Then I got to see her wear them. It was a very satisfying process.

I finally got all the food put away and pushed the door shut. This time it didn't wedge or reopen. I was going to go see how my little one was doing when I felt my phone vibrate. Pam sent me a text updating me on the bar, my businesses, and a special project I'd given her. I wasn't happy by any means that Dina had been attacked, yet her attack facilitated the inevitable conversation and decision she had to make about our relationship. Perhaps everything happened for a reason. Nonetheless, an attack on my bonded couldn't go unpunished; even if our true relationship didn't begin until after it occurred.

I had decided I wouldn't lie to her, but that didn't mean I'd tell her everything.

Of course, a joke wasn't a lie. I knew she believed I'd leash her in the store tonight. I wouldn't have done something so harsh over something so small. She made it too easy to resist. My Dina was a prideful little thing and wouldn't quickly get over any humiliation. Consequently, I wouldn't embarrass her unless her infraction was large enough to warrant it. I would never forget that it would always be better to punish her now, than have her act badly in public and be punished then. My world was cutthroat, but I knew she could handle it and I could provide her enough happiness to make up for it.

I texted Pam back and told her that if she was ready I could come to the bar for most of tomorrow night. A part of me wondered if I was taking too great a risk in killing this human. He would be missed and was a known bigot against my kind. But the other part of me remembered her fear. My instincts and my principles, stating that anyone who touches what is mine should die, were secondary to the memory of the panic. I felt her terror and it spread through my blood and clouded my head. Instead of dying down and instead of my being able to push it down, it grew larger and larger. I realized I myself was petrified. I realized how fragile she was. I learned the extent of the hold she had over me. I actually cared about her feelings and actions. It did irritate me, but it also proved that if she was taken from me I would be affected.

I wanted her close to me for many reasons. I had always wanted to dominate her. I wanted her as my sub. I wanted her like this not only sexually, but all the time. It was a satisfying and harmonious union this way. But I always knew she was safe this way as well. Having her mortality become so real was making me feel like keeping her right at my side or safely in our impenetrable home. She was clinging tightly to me due to her unease over becoming mine in every sense of the word, but I was desperately holding on to her as well. I don't think she realized how deep my feelings on the matter ran.

I also wanted her close so I could savor her love. I wanted to be greedy and keep it all to myself. I wanted to become her sun and stars. I was trying to avoid the time when I'd have to share her with the world once more.

But for now I'd have her all to myself and I was going to enjoy it.

Dina's POV

I sat beside him and began to eat. He didn't look up from his phone and told me, "Give me a few minutes, this is important."

I nodded and kept eating. I tried to catch some of the news, but the volume was too low on the TV. I guess between his vampire hearing and his important messages Eric had turned it way down. I tried to read the crawl, but the darn font was too tiny and moving too fast. I knew they kept the important stories at the bottom.

I was much calmer now and waited patiently for my vampire sheriff to finish his work.

I had already finished eating and tossed the plate aside by the time he put his phone down. He looked at me with a seriousness that was unnerving. I had yet to really get used to his feelings and our bond. I tried to sort them out, but came up with little.

"I'm going to have to put in some hours at the bar ; something has come up."

"Not on your throne? Other hours? Is everything alright?" I spit out my questions as my mind worked though all the possibilities.

He put his hand on my arm. "Yes, another type of hours. Nothing is wrong, but there are things that are time-sensitive. Everything is fine. I want you to stay here."

I truly didn't like being left here alone. He leaned in and cupped my face. His lips were soft and cold against mine.

"You'll be fine. Come, I want to share blood and enjoy your body."

I didn't have to be asked twice.

Eric never tired. We kept going over and over. This was why I was going to be forever soured for other men: the mind-blowing sex I was having with Eric was becoming an everyday thing. I was beginning to expect this amazing sex. I was setting records for how often I came. Soon, the same thing that happened when I first came here occurred again. I began to feel dry and Eric's thrusts became painful. This time something in me just wanted him to stop. I didn't want to experience pain for his pleasure. I didn't want to trust him to know when enough was enough. I wasn't feeling rebellious or angry, just uninterested in the trial.

I was also curious what Eric would do if I voiced these concerns. I knew I could come to him with anything, but I was also supposed to trust him. I was going to let my curiosity get the better of me.

"Eric…..I need more lube." I huffed out, while he kept thrusting.

He didn't slow his pace as he replied, "do you?"

He slammed all the way into me and I grunted hard. I reflexively launched forward, but he held my hips. "Hmmm." He acted like he was deeply considering my statement, but I could tell he was amused and very aroused. He slowly pulled out of me, until only his tip was still in. He then pushed back in, just as slowly. I gasped and dug my nails into the bed.

"You feel fine to me." He gently moved his hips against mine and I quietly moaned from the discomfort. This continued for a few minutes and I began getting increasingly bothered by it. I was also feeling like I had my answer: Eric would deny my request, but not be angry with me.

He stopped moving. "Alright, I guess if you think you need it."

He dislodged himself and grabbed the ring on the center of my collar and began to tug me around. I ended up facing him, sitting on my bottom and leaning on my hands. He knelt in front of me. "Open," he commanded and pushed his cock to my lips. I briefly hesitated before taking him into my mouth. I twirled my tongue and moved against his frenulum. He began to push and I opened wide for him. I was learning what he wanted and responding accordingly. I wasn't overly bothered by this.

He began to press against the back of my throat and when I made a noise of protest he hooked his middle finger around my collar. "Come on, you said you needed lube; you're not even trying."

He thrust again into my mouth and I salivated around him. I realized that I was going to provide the lube I'd asked for. I began to accept his dick ramming into my throat because it covered him (and my chin) in lubricant. His reentry would be easy at this rate. The sensation was strange and slightly uncomfortable, but I wasn't afraid. Eric was careful with me.

Within a few moments, he pulled out and flipped me over. He dragged my body up and mounted me. He was slick and began to pound me once more. I moaned with pleasure. We moved in a frenzy until we both found our releases. After I regained my regular breathing pattern I found myself in his arms, leaning against the headboard.

His fingers were gentle as they roamed over my arms. Our lips found each other. His hand inched up to my collar and then he pushed my head forward. I didn't quite know what to do. I still didn't know what to feel about my collar. I felt and heard him undo the clasp. I didn't know if I should feel naked or liberated.

He set my collar on the bed and began to massage my throat. It was highly personal and instinctively scary to have someone hold my throat in their hand, but I was unafraid. My skin was sensitive after being bound in leather for so long.

"You're mine." Eric broke me from my thoughts. He pulled my head against his shoulder and I looked at him. He put his wrist to his mouth and clicked his fangs out. As soon as the bite was made it was being pressed against my own lips. I supposed he was ensuring he didn't leave any damage. As sweet as he tasted, I was ready to stop before he was. He didn't seem aroused like he normally was when he fed me his blood.

"No, I want you to have more." He re-bit open the wound and I winced at causing him more pain.

He pressed it to my lips and held it firmly. I kept drinking and wondered when it would be enough. I think I was nervous because I didn't know why he wasn't loving this like he normally did. He pulled away and licked his wound clean. He held me tight and I was still confused.

"I should have healed you better last time."

I remembered Bill and Sookie calling. "We were interrupted. It's alright."

"No, it's not. It's my job to care for you. I shouldn't have let anything come between me and my responsibility to you. Its my job to correct you when you are wrong. And it's my job to correct myself when I'm wrong."

I realized how much Eric was taking on in that moment. He was caring for him and for me. He also took care of Pam. I was pretty sure he was financially providing for all three of us. He was also not allowing himself any forgiveness.

I stroked his cheek, "I'm not mad."

He caught my hand. "You entrusted me with your life ; there is no excuse. I won't let it happen again. Besides, I want to strengthen our bond."

He kissed my lips before I could respond. "You must sleep, lover. You can't afford to be late tomorrow."

And we were off to bed….

(A look at Bill and Sookie)

"She hasn't called. She hasn't even texted. She texts a few times a day," Sookie rambled to Bill.

"Sookie, I told you: We can't call again. We can not go there. She….she agreed to this." Bill's voice dropped. He doubted Dina understood all she agreed to when she moved in with Eric. She was surely learning about Eric's dark side and the consequences of making an agreement with him.

"It's not right! We can't just leave her!" Sookie began to rant, terrified for her friend.

"Sookie! Do you understand that we've already put her in danger?" Bill raised his voice.

"How?" she asked, stunned.

"Our last call angered Eric. Who do you think had to feel his rage?" Bill paused, letting the reality sink in. "She is the only one there and Eric has complete control over her. He can torture her, he can hurt her, he can humiliate her, and he can even kill her with no repercussions."

Sookie's mind churned with the possibilities. She felt sick. She wanted to suggest the police, but remembered everything illegal Eric has gotten away with. He could glamour his way out of everything. "What about other **vampires?** No one will think he is hurting your movement by harming a human?"

"No, She agreed to be his pet. How he rules her is completely up to him," Bill said solemnly.

A tear rolled Sookie's cheek. Bill pulled her into his arms, regretting having to expose her to this truth. "All we can do is wait. Maybe he'll let her call soon."

* * *

I recieved a review from someone who didn't leave me a return addy for a reply, so I wanted to make just a few notes. Very good points were brought up and I hope to touch on them more and more as the story progresses.

this story is slow moving due to personal issues in my and my coauthor's life. I tried to clear up a few things in this chapter and will use the other chapters that are small for some clarification.

I'm glad the reviewer pointed out that I have warnings listed - take them seriously.

Dina is a feminist. She thinks women and men are equal. Eric is a vampire. He cares more about "race" (human, vamp, were) than about sex/gender. He has a female queen and his child, Pam, is both his only progeny and his 2nd in command. He is not sexist or he would only serve in a state with a king and wouldn't let his child have such high rank since she's not a man. with these characters its less about what 'this **woman** will do for this **man**' and more what 'this** individual** will do for their** lover'. **and perhaps eric will learn that its less about 'this** human** will do for this **vampire**'

there are female doms. male subs. and switchs of all kind. eric happens to be predominatly heterosexual. Dina happens to be bisexual and in love with Eric.

this is very hard for Dina and her character developemnt is adjusting and not adjusing and adapting as tiem goes on. she isn't just all rainbows and butterflies. she is reacting bit by bit to a situation that is happening very quickly.

**also**, her panic attack wasn't really about the D/s. it was about the blood bond. I think the books made the transition to simple. one day you are alone in your head and the next you feel a vampire and he feels you. there are only a few moments in the books where sookie and eric really take time to adjust. (grantly she resents the bond and that is made clear, but some I always felt there was emotion lacking in the books). She and Eric do push the matter aside. but what else can they do? they have things on the agenda and the bond won't just fade away over night. she has all the time in the world to write, talk, and take the time to get used to them being conntected.

I'd like to thank everyone for reading and reviewing! peace!


	18. The Stylist

Alright people, this chapter is about Dina and her stylist. I hope we all enjoy. Sadly our viking doesn't hog the limelight as he does in the other chapters - but I'll make it up with more Eric POV very soon.

as usually, I don't own the majority of the characters (but I wish I owned Eric). This story is for adults. Please review. be as harsh or as pleasent as you like, I appreciate and hopefully learn from it all.

* * *

I heard music. I tried to place the lyrics and slowly opened my eyes. The clock radio was going off. Eric was dead as a doornail next to me so I didn't rush to turn it off. I had to move a folded note off the alarm in order to turn it off. I never missed anything Eric wanted me to have. I yawned and blinked my eyes to adjust them.

I skimmed over the note, which was short with nothing extra as usual. He reminded me not to eat. He told me he had an outfit for me hanging in the bathroom. He doubted I'd have much time to journal, but suggested I write about anything that upset me the night before. I briefly wondered if I was ready to do so, but pushed the thought aside. It was too early for thoughts.

He also said he looked forward to seeing me when he rose. Eric may not have had an endless supply of flowery words, but I never doubted his affection. I also saw a very thin leather collar. It was a soft brown and had a front clasp. The side that would be on the back of my neck had the name 'Eric' written in crimson and the initials 'EN' were engraved on the front. So this was his plan. I ran my fingers over the velvety band and carried it into the bathroom with me. I quickly clipped my hair up and put the collar around my neck. My fingers felt the imprint of his initials as I tried to lock it in place while looking in the mirror.

Once the collar was on I surveyed myself. I was nude except for my collar. I had always had an ego about my breasts, but sometimes wondered how Eric wanted me so much. There were so many other women out there who would sell their souls to be in my place. I also couldn't help but feel natural as I was collared. I think a part of me began this half-heartedly and I wondered if I could ever be one of these subs who loved their Doms above all else. I decided to wait a little longer before thinking about this so much.

I found today's dress hanging in the usual place. It was actually a nice dress. I was pleasantly surprised. It was red – a favorite of Eric and not of mine. Eric had done a pretty good job at dressing me in colors I liked. I knew he appreciated my love of deep cool colors and shared some of it, but he liked the 'warmer' red as well. I think it reminded him of food. It was maxi style and went down to my ankles. It had short sleeves that covered the first few inches of my arms and a scoop neck. I was grateful for the smock band near my breasts. But even with that, my breasts were very prominent without a bra on.

I sighed and decided that this was what I had to work with. I fiddled with my hair for a few minutes and ended up leaving in up in the clip. I ran around our living area to see if I missed anything and had everything.

I looked at the clock and saw I only had a few minutes. I was nervous and feeling the effects of not having caffeine. My body was adequately covered, but not having on any underwear still made me feel naked. I was about to go upstairs and meet with at least two people like this. And I wouldn't be keeping this dress on the whole time either. I was feeling the beginning stages of distress, but pushed myself toward the door. I either did this or waited for sunset and dealt with Eric.

I preferred to 'man up' or 'woman up' and do this.

I watched the clock change to 11:58. I kept repeating the numbers of the code I needed to open the door. I reminded myself that I would act in a way that didn't embarrass Eric. I would refer to him as 'my master' and not waiver. I had a position no one else had in his life and many wanted.

The clock finally hit noon and I punched in the numbers. The door unlocked and I walked upstairs with butterflies in my stomach. Eric had told me he'd work on the lights and I knew he would. Sometimes I was surprised how clueless my vampire could be. I don't think he even realized I couldn't see with so many bulbs out. Thankfully he always knew to keep the heater and air conditioner at the right temperature for me. He might be always a little cold with little to no problem in extreme heat or cold – but I was a sensitive human about these things.

I stayed close to the banister and made my way to the second door. I pushed into the closet and stopped to take a breath as I shut the door behind me. I was upstairs for the first time in the day time. I knew once I met with Bobby my day was going to be a chain of events that I couldn't slow down.

I truly wasn't worried. I was embarrassed and nervous. I couldn't say I had a strong objection to this. I wasn't going to be hurt or harmed. Eric wanted me to get over my body image issues. It was a process, but slowly I was used to being naked or always near naked with him. I had stripped down in front of doctors. Now I was going to be nude in front of a stylist. I hoped I didn't look too bad. Who knows what beautiful people this woman – I assumed it was a woman because Eric would never let a man do the kinds of things to me that we would be doing today - had worked with before me?

I was glad Eric couldn't hear these thoughts right now. He most definitely wouldn't be pleased.

I stepped out into the office and made sure both the fake and real door were shut behind me. I was alone but could hear movement outside the door. I assumed Bobby was in the living room and smoothed out my dress once more before walking out. Now I didn't know if I liked Eric getting me so comfortable that I was fine being buck naked, but he might have a point about how self conscious I am.

"Hello." I said a little too quietly, but his head still turned.

He paused and looked me over. I caught the slightest bit of disgust flash on his face. His eyes drifted back to my breasts and I flinched back. God, I couldn't stand him First, I could see how much he immediately disliked me – and for no reason. Then he was checking me out? Ugh!

"Hello, are you ready?"

"Of course." I said, trying to sound unbothered.

He began to walk toward the stairs and I followed.

"My Master expects a lot to be accomplished today. He only gave a short window of time, but he will take no excuses if everything isn't completed. I'll be reporting to him on everything."

"Ok." I replied and Bobby made a soft scoffing noise. I think he thought I was stupid and low class compared to him. I ignored him and kept walking back to that dreadful room. I think I also disliked him because he took Eric and his job for him so seriously. Eric was a great man and a vampire sheriff, but he wasn't a god. I also didn't enjoy Bobby speaking about "his Master" as though I'd never met him before. Eric always demanded much and never took an excuse. I probably knew him better than this little man.

Bobby was walking very quickly and I knew he was trying to trip me up, probably hoping I'd never been up here before. I kept up with him easily - nobody walked as fast as Eric and I remembered that first hurried rush through the darkened rooms.

Before we got to the door, Bobby stopped and turned. "I'm warning you for your benefit; not my own. If you dawdle Master will not be upset with me. He goes through women quickly. If he is displeased I'm sure he'll either punish you harshly or throw you out. And then where will you go?"

He gave a condescending smirk and turned back before I could reply.

My mouth gaped open. I couldn't believe he'd say this. Suddenly his comments about his report to Eric sounded more like he was threatening me than bragging. I couldn't muster a reply before He opened the door and began to talk with my new stylist.

"Hello Leila," he said politely to her, shaking her hand. I don't know what I expected, but it definitely wasn't what I saw.  
She greeted him as "Mr. Burnham," and turned to smile inquiringly at me. He didn't even give me the benefit of an introduction. I wondered if he even remembered my name. Instead, he grabbed my elbow and pulled me forward before I could react. His grip was firm, but he let go quickly. I stood there awestruck for a moment.

The stylist was small, but tall, with long dark hair that stopped at her waist. It was the kind of hair that women envied; I know I did. Dark, almost black, and shiny, perfectly straight and strong-looking. She wore it in a simple ponytail beneath a pair of beaded combs connected by elastics.  
She was middle-eastern., I wasn't sure if she was Persian, or Arab. She had large, dark eyes, a straight nose, and beautiful white teeth behind perfectly shaped lips. Had she been chosen to make me uncomfortable? I felt large and unwieldy standing next to this neat, beautiful creature.  
My discomfort evaporated the moment she spoke. "Dina," she said, smiling hugely. "I am Leila, and I will be working with you today." She wore a simple set of deep blue hospital-type scrubs, with matching crocs on her feet. I took her hand and smiled, and then before I could say anything, Bobby interrupted. Again.

Eric had better realize how good I was doing at keeping my trap shut.

"The master expects this to be done quickly, and I am to oversee everything." He adjusted himself again, leering at the two of us. I was at a loss for words but Leila dismissed him with one comment.

"I am sure Mr. Northman knows how I conduct my services, and we will not be needing you to stay. You may wait outside."

Bobby opened his mouth to protest, but Leila took him firmly by the elbow and ushered him out into the hall. "Yes, Mr. Burnham," I heard her say. "I will report to your master that you were extremely enthusiastic in the performance of your duties."

Leila came back into the room and closed the door, locking it behind her. "I cannot stand that creature," she told me conspiratorially. "I do not know why Mr. Northman continues to employ him!"

She had a slight accent, but I couldn't place it. English wasn't her only language, but her accent was obviously Americanized. I usually had an easy time with accents and defiantly with placing language after I heard it – even though I only spoke English. And poorly at that if you asked anyone who knew about that whole 'grammar thing'.

""Thank you," I sighed in relief."I thought he was going to have to watch."

I knew this was a bit foolish, since Eric would rip his eyes out if he saw me disrobe, but I didn't even want him hearing about how I would soon strip. The slimey weasel was probably already picturing it.

"I can tell that you are nervous," she told me. "Why don't you have a seat in the chair before we get started? You've never seen a stylist such as myself before?"

I shook my head nervously and said "It's that obvious, isn't it?"

Leila smiled and made no comment as I sat down. I was close to making sarcastic quips or self deprecating jokes. It was a common defense mechanism of mine. One I knew Eric wanted to crush with an iron fist.

I hadn't expected this level of warmth from her, after the cold and indifferent treatment I'd gotten from Dr. Ludwig. I sat in the chair, and she pulled up the rolling doctor's stool in front of me, putting her elbows on her knees. She took both of my hands in hers and said "We have plenty of time for this session, despite your escort's abruptness. Is there anything that I can do to make this easier for you?"

"I-I'm just a little shy. What exactly are we going to do?" I said, trying to find my voice with this gorgeous woman. "I'd prefer to know ahead of time. No surprises."

Hmm, was I a control freak? Was I a control freak in a relationship with a man who was 10 times worse?

Yes, I think that's a good summary of it all.

"We can do that, let me get my agenda for the day." She walked over to the desk. She grabbed a binder and came back and sat down. She quietly slipped through the pages and I watched her reading something.

"Well, Mr. Northman requires quite a bit today. But We'll be fine; I always deliver. You have to shower, have a colonic, I'll review for any appearance issues for the future," She paused to skim the page, "A few moisturizing treatments, teeth imprints-"

"What?" What the hell was that?

"Oh would you like to do that first? Mr. Northman wants a mold of your teeth."

"Why?" I blurted out, without thinking.

"I'm sure he has his reasons." She said, still smiling.

"Fine." Why not? God I needed some chocolate.

"Great, let me set up."

I closed my eyes and prayed for strength. I managed to not mention Eric so I wouldn't either slip with his name or have to say 'My Master' to this woman I just met. I hope Bobby didn't tell her I was Eric's whore. I wonder if she knew we were in a D/s relationship. I'd gauge how she acted before talking too much.

She came back with a bulky bag n her hand. She reached around me to the side of the exam table and pulled out a tray. I didn't even know all the little features this thing had. She put the bag down.

"The process is simple. I will give you the mould and you'll bite it. We'll do a few of them and then seal them for your master."

Firstly, I had no idea what these things were. I was assuming they were like the things the prosecutor used to convict Bundy since he bit his victims. I may not know about style, but I watched my crime shows. Secondly, still no idea why I was doing this. Finally, she called him my master. Maybe she did know.

She started to open the bag and pulled out another small zip lock baggie. The weird foam thing was in there. It had a label on it and the baggie.

"This is for your front teeth, middle of your mouth."

Okay, so we were doing this in sections. She held it toward my mouth and I was unsure if I should open up or grab it. She came toward me and I opened my mouth. I bit and the material felt odd. My teeth sank right into it and the taste was bland, but still ick. I released and she carefully bagged it up and went for the next one. We started a process. Pull out, bite, release, re-bag, and on to the next one. We did my front teeth, my back on both sides, the whole front half of my mouth, the whole back half, only the lower row (my upper teeth were against plastic), my top teeth only, and two of my whole mouth. We had my teeth on every angle.

She noted that I some cavities. I told her some had been there a while and I hadn't got around to dealing with them. Truthfully, I hated doctors – dentists included – and lacked insurance. But they didn't always hurt, so it wasn't a big deal to me. She didn't seem pleased by her facial expression, but said nothing.

"Alrite….I know you aren't too excited about this, but I'd prefer if we got the cleaning process done right away. Is that okay?" She asked sincerely.

I realized for a moment that I had agreed to a relationship where Eric would rarely if ever ask me about my preferences like Leila was right now. I didn't consider backing out of our arrangement for a second because of it. It was just the reality.

I also realized that I would always have this time away from Eric where I had someone like my new stylist to ask me kind questions like this.

This might provide great balance for me.

"Yea." I said half-heartedly.

"Great. Let me go get my stuff. Cam you disrobe and I'll grab you a cover."

She walked to the cabinet and threw a thin blanket at me. With my now improved reflexes – thank you Eric's blood – I caught it easily. At least I'd be partially covered. She left and I stepped out of the dress. I didn't know exactly what to do so I folded it quickly and left it on the desk. I hoped back up on the table and wrapped the blanket around me.

I waited and felt butterflies in my tummy. I decided I wasn't going to lie, but I was going to omit the blanket if at all possible when I told Eric about my day. I was pretty sure he wanted me comfortable being totally naked and I was covered at the moment.

Leila came back with her equipment and moved around the room. I fidgeted. Repeatedly. She must have noticed my discomfort.

"What's wrong?"

"Don't' you think this is weird?" god, I sounded whiney.

She laughed. "No, plenty of people do this. A lot of celebs and health nuts mostly. And, believe it or not, I have many clients in relationships such as yours." OK, she did know.

"Why?" I didn't know a lot about this.

"Well, you can lose quick weight this way. But its not 100% healthy and even if you call it a cleansing its not – it will rid your body of good and bad stuff. It can alter your electrolytes if you do it repeatedly to drop of pounds. People who really like to be in good health use the colonic with a strict constant diet and a restricted diet of only vegetable juice during the days before and after a cleansing."

She kept setting up as she spoke and paused to hook a hose up to the sink.

"Now, Mr. Northman does not want you to lose weight. He has been clear on that. He also doesn't strike me as being so concerned with health he wants to interfere with how the body cleans itself and have you eat only crazy health food…but I don't find anything weird about him requesting this for you on a semi-regular basis. Trust me, it does become very routine after a while." _Somehow__I__doubted__that._

I relaxed a bit. She was so professional and kept going on about the fact that she knew exactly how Eric and I were in private. I couldn't really be embarrassed though – as I said she was so professional and kind.

"So now you should lie back and I'm going to insert this little end piece right here. It may be uncomfortable but not overly painful. I'm going to turn on the water. It might feel slightly painful at times – this will take a little while – but I'll try to keep you comfy."

I leaned back and she propped up the stirrups. I placed my legs in them. The end going into me wasn't very painful. It did however remind me why, exactly, Eric wanted this. I wasn't an idiot. My anal virginity was on its way out the door. I couldn't say I was fiercely holding on to it, but I wasn't in a rush to get rid of it either. It was more unease and fear of pain than anything else.

All in all, I held an extra gallon of water in me for my first time. When my stomach cramped, Leila massaged me and quizzed me on my favorite music. She provided me some of the pop culture news I'd been missing. The waiting after the water was in and the hose was clamped was the hardest and least comfortable. Okay, at some points it damn hurt.

Finally, she told me I could get up and go to the bathroom. She told me to take my time and shower afterward. I didn't have to worry about my hair or scrubbing, just a basic rinse. Surprisingly, it wasn't that embarrassing an experience and I was out wrapped in a towel before I knew it.

She led me to the hair chair and washed my hair. Her fingers were pure magic as she massaged my scalp. She asked if Eric was going to have me dye it again. I told her I didn't know yet. She wrapped my hair tightly in a twist towel and I was back on the table. This time she had me remove the towel and the blanket was already put away. It was a little embarrassing to lie there totally naked. I reminded myself to not cover my body. It took everything I had to remember and refrain from that.

"Let's start with a pedi and work our way up."

I loved pedicures and once she started to rub the lotion into my rough skin, I forgot I was naked. She rubbed a sweet smelling exfoliate into my skin and used her tools to remove the hardened calluses I earned from so many nights working at the bar. She removed the cream with a warm washcloth and moved up my legs. She alternated between just a quick lotion and the exfoliate depending on the condition of my skin. Sometimes we idly chit chatted and other times I was perfectly content to remain silent. Leila also learned I could be ticklish. There was a hint of embarrassment as she neared my more private parts. The embarrassment was both because I was naked and because I found her attractive. I hoped she didn't notice. I then felt guilty – I was with Eric; No one else.

I tried to not get any enjoyment when she smeared the lotion over my breasts. I knew I'd never cheat, but hated even the thought of someone else. It was different if I thought about a celeb (not going to happen) or Marilyn Monroe (she was truly dead). We finally finished. She still hadn't done much with my nails.

"Mr. Northman told me blue was your favorite color so I brought some blue polish for your toes."

I smiled. He could be very sweet. My toes were done quickly and more lotion was applied to my feet. I cringed when she began to file my finger nails. I told her the noise drove me crazy. She lent me her ipod while she finished my manicure. I thought the nail polish was a waste since I always seemed to break my nails, but Eric would figure that out on his own soon enough.

It was time was us to start finishing up. She left while I redressed and asked me if I had any questions. I told her I didn't and thanked her for her work. She was gracious and we parted as new friends. She was going to stay behind to clean up. Bobby was eagerly standing on the other side of the door. I turned back to her and rolled my eyes. She smiled.

"We have to go."

I ignored his tone and followed.

"You know, Master told me to take care of you. I assume he's worried you'll try to leave or misbehave. I don't think he wanted me kept out of the room the whole day. I'll be informing him of this."

"You can do that." I tried to hide my snark. I think the bastard wanted me to go off on him so I would get in trouble.

He stopped abruptly. "Master never tolerates rudeness or insubordination. I've seen him dole out punishment that even a girl like you would cringe from. I'll be telling him about your tone and behavior today."

I refused to back down from his stare. I was mostly unafraid and the little fear I did have I wouldn't show. 'A girl like you'. I wonder who and what this man thought I was. I also wondered why my otherwise intelligent vampire employed him.

He continued to stare at me.

"If you would just be a little nicer, I wouldn't have to write all of this."

He made it sound like it wasn't a threat. But it was. He turned and kept walking. I followed, this time a little more wary. I decided to go for his balls and then his eyes if he came at me again. He really might be stupid enough to try something and that made him scary. Idiots were terrifying.

He dropped me off at the in the living room by the office. He grabbed a case from the coffee table and handed it to me.

"For the Master's eyes only. Ensure he gets it promptly." He ordered.

I didn't bother to remove my dirty look and nodded. I went into the office end locked the door behind me. I began to sneak down the stairs. I punched in the codes at the right time and had about 7 minutes until sunset. Just enough time to pee and brush my hair out for when Eric finally rose.

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If you like this story and also like the Sook, check out this great Eric and Sookie story with some kink/ESN and a better ending to season 4: http:/ www. fanfiction. net/s/ 7604289 /1/ The_Seven_Seas_of_Rhye


	19. Inspection with Eric POV

I'd like to thank my co-author ShadoKat for helping so much with this lovely chapter. I'd also like to point out for those who missed it, I left a response to some reviews/PMs at the end of chapter 17.

as always: most of these characters are not mine, there are adult themes and most are graphic, and this is only fiction. I think I've explained in other chapters the differences between vampire/human D/s relationships and human/human ones - so please don't use this an at home guide.

**and please read and review **(reviews keep stories moving...)

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DINA POV

I carefully put down the case Bobby gave me on the coffee table. Eric was dead as a doornail. It was a little creepy to watch him not breathe as he slept, but that's what happens when your man is a vampire. I saw to my human needs and looked myself over in the mirror. My hair was still slightly damp, but the brush ran right through it with ease. I think I just fell in love with whatever conditioner she had given me today. I was debating on where I should be when Eric rose. I thought I'd sit in the living room and just wait. Maybe try and look pretty. I had, after all, gotten the works done today.

I made my way to the living room and tried to both be cozy and sexy on the couch. _How did pretty girls do this? _

I was starting to feel a little tired and hungry. I relaxed and let my body chill. I knew I'd eat soon enough and that would pump me up. If I stayed up until dawn, it would be a very long day for me. I was going to get some caffeine ASAP.

**Eric POV**

I opened my eyes to a great sense of anticipation. Indeed I was feeling almost giddy! Later tonight I would remove a blight off the face of the earth but before that a very special task awaited me. I thought this must be something like what a child feels like when it has a new toy to play with. But I had not been a child for over a millennium and Dina was no toy. I doubted she would find what I was about to do pleasant, but I would make it as easy as I could for her. I could feel her in the other room, waiting for me, a mixture of anticipation and nervousness running throughout her body.

MY body, if I were to be more accurate, for I had insisted she give it completely to me along with the rest of her self.

She was afraid of something today, too. Nothing I had set up for her should have made her afraid. I would find out what it was. I reached over to get my cell phone and check my messages. She'd had a long day letting a stranger do things to her that most people didn't do for themselves. I would allow her a few more minutes before imposing myself on her.

There was a message from Leila, the stylist.

"_Lovely girl, your Dina! She carries herself well and speaks with great discretion. She followed all of my instructions without hesitation even though I can see she is body-conscious. She handled the more personal aspects of the service with great maturity. She hides her discomfort well. She is very high-strung, and my spells intended to soothe did not seem to have much of an effect…"_ Then she went on about how she appreciated my continued service, etc.

Leila was a witch. I had asked her to put something up to make the environment more tranquil because I knew Dina was not anticipating this visit with happy thoughts. I knew I was demanding a lot from her in a very short time and I felt pride surge through me knowing that even though she hadn't enjoyed it, she hadn't broken down, refused to cooperate, or started spilling secrets about me or our relationship. I trusted her very much, but new subs sometimes made slip ups that were abnormal to their typical behavior.

Leila owned a company that handled personal aesthetics of all sorts, such as the kinds of treatments I'd had her do for Dina today. Her great, great, great grandfather was a respected Vampire in Louisiana (he had family before he was turned) and after the Great Revelation he had told her who he was to her and bought a piece of her then struggling business. She was the "go-to girl" in Shreveport now when you needed discreet services and treatments such as I was setting up for Dina. She also gave lessons in comportment, etiquette, and the ins and outs of how to behave yourself within the Vampire and various other Supernatural communities that now existed. Where in a place like Los Angeles, people like Leila were on every other corner, in Louisiana, not so much. She (and her grandfather) demanded, and got top dollar for what they did. Though I hated the practice, I had hired them in the past to groom and "style" girls to be the companions of Vampires who would visit my area from all over the world. Leila's business had another branch, if you could call it that, which would train submissives to the specifications of various wealthy clients. I could have sent Dina there if I hadn't wanted to take her through this myself. I felt that was too impersonal though. I knew how much she loved me and it would have hurt her if I'd sent her away. With my feelings for her, I owed it to her to be with her while she learned. It was also very satisfying for me to train her. I also had to admit a certain part of me felt extremely possessive, even more so than was normal for a vampire, and I wouldn't want her away from me.

The last part of Leila's message was interesting. _"…Mr. Northman, I've spoken with you about this before. Mr. Burnham again tried to insist that he be allowed to stay and observe the session. A first session like this is traumatizing enough for a young girl without a man leering at her from the corner. Because of your special relationship with Dina, I denied Mr. Burnham access to the room. I mean, we are in a locked house where I myself cannot leave without your permission. In future, if you desire a guard to be in the actual room, I would strongly suggest a woman?"_

I closed my eyes and sighed. I had not wanted Burnham present in the room with Dina. I would rip his eyes out if he ever saw her naked. Had I done or said something in the past to make him think he needed to be involved this closely with these sessions, or was he just being a pervert? The women Leila treated didn't need guards. Almost all of them were volunteers hoping that the Vampire who would be their escort was someone decent who would want to keep them. I had a contract with these Vampires. If I provided this service for them, they were not to harm the human. Feeding was allowed, and all manners of sex, but no torture or intentional cruelty.

There was a message from Burnham himself. _"Master, your new girl is very disrespectful of my position. I would ask that you talk to her about it?" _His voice had a way of turning snivelly when he wanted something from me. Dina was disrespectful? She had always taken her manners very seriously. This wasn't making a lot of sense. _"I made it clear she was not to open the case I left for you, but you never know with those types!"_

He was talking about Dina as though she were just some girl off the street that I picked up. Hadn't I been clear enough with him as to who she was? She wasn't going away, ever, and the sooner he realized that the better. I would have to talk to him. I only kept him around because his loyalty was absolute, but others always complained about him. He worked when I could not be there to deal with matters – during the day – so it was easy for things to become distorted. He was replaceable, but it was so hard to find a competent human and teach them. In truth, I held Dina in much higher esteem than Bobby, and once her training was complete enough for us to go out into the world together, where I was Burnham's Master, she would be his Mistress. I don't know very many vampires with bondeds and it would take me time to work out a good strategy for presenting them and their dynamic. I assumed few would view me as weak or try to exploit the fact that my bonded human was superior to my dayman.

It was a good thing I had tapes to view in my spare time. I typed a quick text message to him. "Fangtasia. 4am." This would give me time to view the video feed of every interaction between him and my Dina before I talked to him.

I had blocked off my side of the bond while checking messages and I hoped Dina wasn't feeling the displeasure I felt toward Burnham. I lowered the shield and let my pride and happiness flow just as I stepped into the doorway between the two rooms, smiling at her. I couldn't keep my fangs under control so they were halfway descended. She was a vision in that red dress! I needed to put her in red a more often. Her hair was up in a simple clip and she wore that tiny collar with my name on it. If my heart had been beating, it would have stopped. It looked like she was trying to find a sexy pose for when I came in. That was what was so sexy about her -she tried so hard for me. But all she had to do was sit there. I was hard immediately, glad that I had stopped to put on a pair of jeans. A lesser man would have fallen at her feet. I had trouble finding words. "Come here," was all I was able to croak out, trying to use the strong voice I reserved for when I was asserting my Dominance. I turned away as she rose and followed me to the bedroom. Watching her walk could be my undoing.

DINA POV

Eric came out and looked like a God. His fangs weren't fully descended, but were visibly poking out. I felt the happiness and lust coming off in waves. "Come here." He said hoarsely and I followed him into our bedroom. I felt that same thrill shoot down my spine and settle between my thighs, I always felt when Eric spoke to me like this.

As Eric turned around the air was thick with the sexual tension between us, and then I almost fell to my knees as a wave of lust swept over me like a tsunami. Was that coming from Eric, or did my feelings somehow contribute to it? "I want you to strip." He said firmly. The way he had no need to move, or fidget, was unnerving. His perfect stillness only made him seem more formidable, if that was possible. I peeled off my clothes and stood there with my dress in my hands, unsure of what to do with it. I turned to face him and tried to not shy away from his gaze. I remembered to keep my legs open and felt a blush rise across my skin.

"I'm going to inspect you," he said firmly. "I want to see your body after your appointment with your stylist. I want to see how you look since becoming mine."

I nodded and wondered how I could feel aroused, nervous, and embarrassed all at once. I was able to know that both Eric and I were sexually stimulated. Our bond was murky and confusing at times, but there was no doubt this desire was partially mine.

I shivered at his words and stared at him. I wondered what exactly he was going to do and how it would feel.

ERIC POV

I had to get myself together and I knew it. I wanted to take her in my arms and feel her. Her ass was just the right size for my palms and her breasts! I loved to put my face between them and close my eyes. They could smother me, but I didn't have to breathe. I loved to nuzzle my way beneath them, licking and sucking and finally biting, making her scream. I had to stop thinking about that or I would never get through this. I had to keep my distance and seem aloof. That wasn't easy when she came to a stop just a few feet away and her scent billowed up to catch me off guard as I turned around. She was turned on already. She wasn't dreading this; on the contrary, she was anticipating what was to come. I could feel the heat coming from between her legs the way a human man never could have, and the sweet, musky scent of her arousal almost put me to shame. She didn't know how to manipulate the blood bond but I did. I sent lust back at her as hard as I could, hoping to unnerve her the way she was unnerving me. I had to be the master here, the dominant. I was the one in control.

"I want you to strip!" I commanded her, not too harshly but enough to let her know I meant business. I gave her a fierce look meant to tell her I liked what I saw but I wanted more. And I was going to ask for more. A lot more. I stilled completely, waiting. She had trouble with her body image and I knew that. I thought it was ridiculous; she was the most gorgeous and sexy thing on two legs as far as I was concerned. I wasn't going to put up with any of that "don't look at me" shtick some women tried. I'll never understand someone who will have sex with you, but not strip in front of you. I had never spent time with my bedmates, but heard of human women who wouldn't be seen without make-up on even after allowing their partner to spend the night. Times were getting more and more ridiculous.

I was pleased when she immediately did what I said. As she stepped out of the dress, her arms instinctively moved like she was going to cover herself, but she caught that in time to stop it. Good girl. I noticed that she boldly turned to face me, keeping her feet just a little more than shoulder width apart. She'd remembered to open herself to me. I was very happy but I showed nothing, not moving at all. Beneath my gaze a blush crept up her body starting from the tips of her toes and ending with her face. I could feel her fighting not to cover her body, but she still held the dress.

"I'm going to inspect you," I told her as though it was something we did every day. "I want to see your body after your appointment with your stylist. I want to see how you look since becoming mine." I let that sink in for her while I took the dress out of her hands and laid it over the back of the dressing chair. She trembled ever-so-slightly but held her ground. I was going to push tonight. My inspection would probably embarrass her but it would make one thing potently clear. She belonged to ME. There was no privacy from me where her body was concerned. I would do with it, and her, as I pleased. She would accept my hands, and whatever other parts of me I decided, on or in any part of her body, without question, or there would be consequences.

She remained silent and I knew she had no idea how or whether to respond to me at all. Her eyes were wide, a little fearful, and that was a huge turn-on for me. I was Vampire, after all. But ultimately I didn't want her to fear me unless she was due for punishment. She would take all of her cues from me, and right now the tension in the room was so thick that you could feel it as you moved. I reached forward, taking her hands in mine, rubbing little circles with my thumbs and shaking her arms lightly. "Relax Dina." I said softly but firmly. "Breathe!" This brought everything to a head, as I'd known it would. She grabbed hard onto my hands like a lifeline and her breathing started to come in shallow, shaky bursts. If I had just started maneuvering her around and touching her, that would have produced this response.

"Lean forward!" I ordered her. "Put your hands on your thighs!" I helped her into this position and began rubbing her back. "There you go! Let your head hang loose. Shake it out if you like. I will let you put it back up in the clip in a moment."

I tried to make my voice strong and reassuring at the same time. She would draw on my strength as well here, and I needed to hold us both up. From behind her I squeezed her shoulders and massaged her neck while she let her head hang as I'd ordered. I rubbed her back hard, working out the tension. I pulled the clip out of her hair and massaged her scalp. After a few minutes of my coaching, she stood back up and looked at me with new resolve, even managing a small smile, which I returned. My Dina was a person, after all. What I was about to do may have objectified her, but because I had acknowledged her feelings it wouldn't sting quite so badly. She reached for the clip in my hand, wanting to put her hair back up. I shook my head.

"Let me." I walked around behind her and gathered her hair into my hands, smoothing and taming it as I went. I noticed that Leila had only done a very light trim as I'd instructed. It pleased me to see the lack of split ends. I expertly twisted Dina's hair up similar to the way she'd had it before and clipped it in place. This brought the collar to my notice. This collar had my name on it, announcing to the world that she was mine.

"How did you feel about your new collar today?" I asked from behind, touching the leather and caressing her skin.

This caused a bit of a sob for some reason. "It... It's beautiful Eric!" she said softly.

"But it causes tears?" I demanded gently, confused as I wiped one from her cheek.

"May I touch you?" she asked.

This caught me by surprise. I had never instructed her to ask for permission before touching me. It was something I planned to bring up later because while I mostly wanted her to be free to touch me, there would be times when I would want her to ask. "Yes, you may," I said evenly.

She turned and threw her arms around my waist, leaning her head on my shoulder.

"I can't describe it, Eric!" Her voice was shaky, but strong. I held her gently. "This tiny little piece of leather," and she reached up to touch it lovingly, "means so much more than the other one did, because your name is on it. It makes all of this real. Not that it wasn't real before, but with your name being here… I am yours, and it makes me ….proud. I feel loved and not degraded like…like I thought I would. I thought it would embarrass me to wear a collar but it doesn't! It feels… right." The last word she said softly with a lot of feeling. I put my hands on her shoulders and moved her back from me a bit to see her face. Her face was wet with tears but her eyes shone at me, full of trust and love.

This was exactly what I had wanted. She had accepted everything I'd done to her, and everything I'd given her. I vowed then to not mess this up. Some force, some god, was obviously smiling down on me right now. I wanted to possess all of her and the more she gave in to me, the more I wanted to lose control and be demanding. But I had to be patient. She was still a novice and so very young. I wouldn't break her trust with over zealousness.

I smiled back at her with what I hoped was the same intensity, because her reaction made me deliriously happy. Then I kissed her, and I poured something completely different into the bond while I did it: Respect, gratitude, and happiness. And lust, of course. Lots of lust. I was still me.

I had allowed this brief distraction to loosen things up between us but now I had to get back to the plans I had made. If she truly meant what she said, she would react well to the brand of ownership that I was about to reinforce upon her. It had been necessary to let that emotion out.

"Back to business!" I ordered with a whisper and a kiss on her forehead. She gave a knowing smile and nodded. Then the musk that had permeated the air a few moments ago became stronger, telling me again that she liked my dominance. I was about to put that to the test.

"No more talking now without permission," I said, stepping back from her. Gods, she was beautiful! Her whole body was still flushed from our encounter. At her nod, I gave further instructions. "If I ask you a question, you will answer yes or no, followed by my name. That is all. Do you understand?" My voice was back to Eric-The-Dominant and it seemed to trigger something within her.

"Yes, Eric!" she answered me.

"Spread your legs. Wide as you can."

"Yes, Eric." she moved them as wide apart for me as she could and still stand comfortably. I was pleased.

"Eyes on me unless I am out of your range of vision," I ordered next. I gestured to my eyes as I said this. "If you can not comfortably see my eyes, look at my crotch."

A tiny burst of emotion bubbled up inside of her that could have come out as a giggle, but she hid it well. "Yes Eric," she said with a big smile. Good. She could see the effect she had on me, and what she was going to get if I rewarded her at the end of all this.

Time for lesson 1. "Good. Now raise your arms and lace your fingers at the back of your neck. Do not move them from that position until I give you permission!"

"Yes Eric"

She was trying too hard and I could see it. "You don't have to say 'yes Eric' every time I give you an order. Only when I ask you a question." I said gently. I could see her mouth starting to form the words, so I raised an eyebrow. She smiled gratefully at me. A piece of hair had come loose from the clip so I reached out and tucked it behind her ear, taking the opportunity to test the strength of her grip of the fingers behind her neck. "Remember, keep them there." She nodded, smiling into my eyes.

I started to walk around her and saw the strain this position was putting on her body. I brought my "Eric-The-Dom" voice back out for the rest of this encounter. I was sweet on her but I couldn't let that override my intentions or change the dynamic of the relationship. When everything came naturally to both of us I would be sweet. "Stand up straight." I corrected her, placing my hand on her lower back and another on her head. With her feet so far apart she was leaning back and I didn't want her to fall. I held her shoulders and pushed her feet a little bit closer together, still leaving them wide apart, but so that she could be more comfortable. "Do not lock your knees." I said next. Returning to the front, I saw that she now stood up straight, elbows out to the sides and breasts thrust forward, just the way I wanted them. "Eyes on me." I had to remind her when her gaze slipped somewhere behind me.

Without warning I reached out for her breasts. She jumped a little at the sudden contact and I gave her a stern glare. I would tolerate no negative reactions to my touch. I had never really done this before in such detail, really examined them outside of sexual play. I cupped the left one in my hands and it felt firm, smooth, and warm. I knew that no lumps should be present so I palpated every inch of it with my fingers. She kept her eyes on my face but I could see that she was struggling. Her face was very red. "Dina! Breathe!" I barked at her. She must need more reassurance. I cupped her chin and cheek in my palm. "This is not punishment," I told her gently. "I am going to look over every inch of your body. There is nothing to be embarrassed or afraid of. None of this, and I repeat NONE of this, is punishment. Some will be unpleasant for you."

She nodded but still seemed distressed.

"I am going to give you a couple of safe words here. The first one is 'yellow.' If things start to get too intense and you feel that we may be coming to something you won't handle well, use the word 'yellow.' Understood?"

"Yes Eric," she said bravely, her lower lip quivering. I had noticed this a lot when we were having rough sex or something had upset her. I wondered if she even realized that it was happening.

"Good girl!" I knew she needed as much praise and reassurance as I could give. "The next word is 'red.' If we come to a point where you absolutely can not handle what is happening, use this word and I will immediately stop." She looked relieved, a little too relieved for my liking. "Be warned, however. Use these words with caution and only when necessary. I will require a full explanation of why you used the safe word. If you use it simply to stop pain or penetration, that will not be enough. Not only will I continue with what I am doing, but I will punish you later. I am very serious. We will get this over with quickly if you will relax. We will do this often, so I want you to get used to it as best you can. Do you understand?"

She looked into my eyes and I could see that she was still having trouble. But, through the bond, I felt something change. I scented her arousal again, very lightly, but it was there. "Yes, Eric," she said with a little more confidence than she had before.

"Remember, again, none of this is punishment." I needed her to know that because of what I was about to do. "Get ready. I am starting again." She nodded again. I decided to let her have one concession. "I would like you to look into my eyes as I do this. However, if that becomes too much for you to bear, you may look down. Not away, but down. Understood?"

She gave me a small smile and a sigh. I took that to be a good sign. "Yes, Eric."

I reached out and caressed her face affectionately, and then began again. I picked up the right breast and cupped it in my hand. This one felt slightly lighter than the other one, and it felt rounder. The other one was longer. I palpated every inch of her breast and found nothing untoward, then I pushed them together and looked at them. The left one hung about a half inch lower than the other. I did not find this to be unappealing. I was sure that I was not entirely symmetrical either. I pulled her breasts apart to examine between them. Her flesh was smooth and creamy white. No sun ever penetrated here. Her skin was so soft that I wanted to lay my head right down and forget this inspection business. But that would not help me to assert my dominance.

Without warning I grabbed her left breast roughly, squeezing it hard. I put my hands around it as though something, like a rope, was tied there, and held it. This was hurting her; I could tell. She looked down at the floor, using the breathing technique I had shown her to try to stay calm. I wanted to see how her breast would react to being tied before I actually did it. I bent down to the nipple and laved my tongue over it. She jumped and breathed in deep. I scented her deep arousal at what I was doing, and she thrust her breast forward for me. The nipple could not stand up as well in this position but I could tell it wanted to. I nicked the tip with my fang and she jumped again, unable to stop a cry of pain. Her blood flowed faster this way, and I lapped it up greedily, then used my saliva to seal the wound. I let go of her breast and massaged it for a moment to help with the circulation. But I wasn't quite done. I grabbed it again and slapped it with my open palm. It showed my handprint in red against the creamy whiteness. I liked the way it looked.

I could tell that Dina was having a really hard time holding her hands behind her neck like that. "Dina?" I asked to get her attention. She wasn't looking at me. When she lifted her face her eyes were full of tears. Along with the tears, however, she was very aroused. I could feel it through the bond. "You like that, don't you?" I asked her wickedly, my voice dripping with sex.

She started to open her mouth but then she closed it and looked down again, shaking her head. I grabbed her chin, a bit roughly. "Do not lie to me!" I said sternly. I knew she lied and I knew why. She had been brought up in a Christian faith where women were very repressed sexually. She was very forward and open compared to other women in her religion I had encountered, but she was ashamed to admit that this taboo gave her pleasure. I came close to her ear and drew blood with my fang, a tiny punishment. As I sucked her earlobe into my mouth to savor her blood, I whispered seductively, "I can feel you through the bond. I can smell how turned on you are. If I put my hand…" And I reached down, inserting two fingers into her. She gasped with surprised pleasure. I was right. I brought the two fingers back up and held them in front of her mouth. "Open!" I commanded, and she did. I pushed my fingers all the way in as if it were my cock in her mouth. "Taste how much you do not like this. Later we will discuss why you feel that you have to lie about getting pleasure from pain." I kissed her cheek and drew away, leaving my fingers in her mouth long enough to let her lick every inch of them and suck them to my satisfaction.

"Would it be easier for you if I tied your hands, Dina?" I asked her. "You are conditioned to use your hands to try to ward off someone who is causing you pain." She stared at me blankly and I got the sense that she thought neither answer was the right one. I made it for her. "Do not move!" I ordered. I walked to my closet, went to the back, and opened a hidden compartment. In here were all of the clothes and other items I had bought for Dina. She would see them little by little as I brought them out. I found what I was looking for and brought it out.

It was a posture collar, tall enough to cover her entire neck. It had a big D-ring that I was about to utilize. "Hands behind your back." I ordered her as I walked behind her to fit the collar over her other one, placing the D-ring at the back. She obeyed immediately. I had two leather cuffs attached to lengths of chain. I fitted one cuff around her wrist and then brought it up, attaching the chain to the D-ring on the collar. Then I did the other one. "Lace your fingers together, as comfortably as you can," I demanded. She obeyed, and I fastened two lengths of chain between the cuffs, holding them the same distance apart as they would be if she laced her fingers. But, if she got tired and could no longer lace her fingers together, the chain and cuffs would hold her hands in place. She now had no way to resist anything that I did. I tipped her chin up to look at me. "Remember, this is not a punishment." She nodded and smiled at me, a weak smile but a smile nonetheless. I kissed her lips tenderly, hoping to express my deep feelings for her even as I did these things to her.

I grabbed the right breast and repeated the same treatment on it that I had done to the left one. When I nicked her nipple with my fang I got a stronger pain reaction and she got more aroused. Her right nipple was more sensitive. I took note of that. When I was finished with that test I held each of my palms in front of her face and commanded her to get them very wet. Afterward I took them and rubbed my palms around and around at the tips of her nipples. When they were very hard I started rolling them between my thumbs and fingers, helping them to elongate as much as they could. I had piercing on my mind. I'd seen some women's breasts double-pierced and it was beautiful. I wondered if Dina's nipples could take that. But there was one other thing to test today. My ministrations became harder and harder, and at last I was pulling firmly on her nipples when I clamped my thumb and forefinger down on each one. She had been whimpering with the pain I was causing, and now she screamed. "Eric! You're hurting me!"

I was proud that she hadn't thrown out a safeword, which would have made me stop. "Eyes on me Dina." I ordered her, this time wanting to see everything. "Ssshhh, unless you are using your safe words."

She stared at me silently, her head thrown back, panting heavily while trying to deal with the pain I was causing. I knew that her nipples would numb after a few minutes with the circulation being cut off, and I also knew that I could go no longer than 30 minutes without causing damage. I would periodically pull or twist one or both nipples, keeping the stimulation going outside of the area that was numb. My hands were strong enough to do this all day long but her nipples weren't. I was using the bond to gauge her pain threshold, also going by how aroused I knew she was and keeping steady eye contact. I did not need to breathe, but I breathed with her to help her. Her entire body trembled and she pulled at the cuffs I'd put on her a few times. I was glad I'd put them there because I would have had to punish her if she'd made an attempt to pull my hands away.

Finally her trembling increased along with her tears and I knew she was at her limit. "Brace yourself, this will hurt." I told her, trying to sound gentle. Then I let go. She screamed and started to fall forward. I caught her easily and held her. "Sssshhhhh, sssshhhh," I soothed, stroking her back. "You did very well. I am proud of you." Indeed she had withstood nearly ten minutes of my torturing her nipples. That was excellent for a beginner!

Then I set her back in place and reached for her breasts again. She backed away from me. Instantly I was angry. I grabbed her hair behind her shoulders and pulled her to me. She was crying hard. "Please Eric! This is too much! It hurts!" she screamed at me before I could yell at her for backing away.

My heart softened. I had just put her through as much as she could take. I was only trying to make amends when she had backed away, but she hadn't known that. My hand in her hair loosened. "Sit still, Lover." I ordered gently. "I am going to heal you." Whether she damn well liked it or not. I turned her to face me again.

"Be still!" I commanded in a voice that I hoped would make her know not to cross me again. Then I reached for her as I'd done a moment ago. I touched the bruises I had made and the scratches from my fangs. She winced. When my fingers came near her nipples I could tell she wanted to back away, but she stood her ground. Proud of her, I grinned.

"Very good." Then I bit my own tongue and bent my head to her, pulling her nipple into my mouth before she knew what had happened. She screamed again but it only lasted a few seconds. I had covered her nipple and the surrounding area with my blood and was licking and sucking gently. This was about healing her and making up for what I had just done. After a few minutes of my ministrations she sighed happily and I knew I was starting to make her feel good. My dick was straining like it wanted to jump out of my pants but it would have to wait. When I lifted my head I asked her, "Better?"

"Yes Eric, thank you," she said softly, almost shyly, smiling tentatively at me.

I smiled back and touched her face. Her eyes were still wet with her tears sparkling in her eyelashes. I had never known anyone with such long eyelashes! Her eyes had drawn me in the first time I'd met her but I hadn't made a move to get her then. When she had started running her mouth in Merlotte's about being mine, it was the best thing that had ever happened to me. I wasn't stupid enough not to take advantage of the situation.

I fixed up her other nipple in the same way. "The bruises will heal when we share blood." I told her.

I would rarely keep bruises on her. Her first day as my sub was different. She needed those marks to help with her mindset and keep her thinking about me as I died for the day. In the future, as long as her punishment was fully over, I would heal her. I was good enough with rope not to bruise later when I did tie her breasts. She had the kind of breasts that begged for tying! Full and ripe with large nipples that my fangs ached to bite. I was going to have a lot of fun with her breasts in the future now that I knew she could withstand what I wanted to do. If it had been too much for her I would have tempered myself, but instead she had enjoyed it, whether she wanted to admit it or not.

"You did well, Dina!" I praised her. "We are far from finished but the worst part is over." I still felt lust and happy anticipation of the evening's activities so I flooded those feelings back into the bond, hoping she would pick back up on them. She nodded and gave me a brave smile.

I decided I did need to make one additional statement. "I was very lenient with you today when you spoke out of turn or backed away from me." She started to open her mouth as if to protest or make an excuse, but I put my finger over her lips. "I know why you did it. We have never done this before and I was causing you pain. I am letting it slide today but I will not in the future. I expect complete compliance and obedience. Wouldn't you rather be rewarded for good behavior than punished for making mistakes?"

I smiled lasciviously at her, licking my fangs in the process. I pulled her close to me and put my palm on her stomach, moving downward and deliberately stimulating her clit, tracing my fingers gently along her outer lips before parting her folds and slipping my fingers inside. I moved in and out and around and around until I felt her body spasm with a small wave of pleasure. Her eyes were hooded and she was panting slightly as she stared into my eyes with the same lust that I felt. Her knees buckled and I held her, keeping her from falling and loving the fact that my touch had such a strong effect on her. I kissed her lips, hard, as I moved my fingers slowly out of her, then brought them up to her face where she knew exactly what to do. I nodded with approval and she smiled sweetly, casting her eyes down submissively and making my cock want to jump out of my pants. I stepped back, caressing her waist and her cheeks as I moved my hands into place for the next part of my inspection.

I wanted to completely memorize the feel of her body as well as the way it looked, so I closed my eyes and ran my hands slowly down her sides along her rib cage toward her waist. When I reached there I spread out my hands to see if my hands could span her waist. I have very big hands. They could not, and I opened my eyes to see that I had about an inch at the front and the back between my thumbs and forefingers. She turned red. I had originally meant to keep track of her freckles and birthmarks, but had lost count. Some of the larger ones stuck out and I filed them away for later. Next I continued my exploration, running my hands down the sides of her hips and again using my hands to gauge the size of her hips at her hipbones. I put my hands directly over her hip bones, which were visible but not prominent, and felt my way over her pubic bone along the near flatness of her stomach back up toward her breasts. I noted she had stretch marks, some very faint. Then I felt a tear splash on my arm and I looked at her face.

"Dina, why are you crying?" I asked. I hadn't the faintest idea why she would be upset. I wasn't hurting her any more; my touch was gentle.

"I-I'm sorry Eric!" she managed to say, hanging her head.

"Sorry for what?" I was truly in the dark here.

"I have to look horrible. I can lose weight. I've done it before...we can get my bike or an exercise one for the house-"

And I did the worst thing I could do. I laughed. This made her cry harder. It took my male mind a minute to figure out why. I moved forward, tilted her head up to look at me, then put my arms around her waist. "Dina, you do not need to lose weight. You are beautiful." She looked like she didn't believe me so I pressed my erection into her stomach. "Does this feel like I am not attracted to you?"

She was skeptical. "Eric, you're a guy, and you have a naked woman standing here, and you can do anything you want to me because my hands are tied. Of course you'd get a hard-on! Any guy would, even with a pig standing here!"

I was taken aback. "You think you look like a pig?"

She shook her head but couldn't meet my eyes. I sighed. Another consequence of this society is that women think they have to be twigs to be desirable. I disagree. I like a woman to have some meat on her bones. In fact, I would be happy if Dina gained a few pounds. She would be softer for me. Her breasts might even grow. What man wouldn't want that?

I will admit that I got a little bit irritated but I tried not to show it. "Dina, look at me." I demanded. When she didn't, I lifted her chin again, this time not as gently. "I am a man of few words. If you are waiting for me to compose poetry about the beauty of your body, you will be waiting a long time. I think you are beautiful. You are perfect. You do not need to lose weight. I probably will not say this as often as you want to hear it, but it is the truth. Feel the bond. I cannot lie to you." I hoped I wouldn't have to spend half the night giving her reassurances. I'd thought it was clear how much I loved her body. I didn't understand why she was having doubts.

She closed her eyes for a few seconds and then looked up at me, smiling and looking embarrassed. Her face was still red but I didn't know if that was from her crying or not. "I wish I could hug you," she said.

I waggled my eyebrows at her and swatted her ass lightly. "Later." I said with a wink. "Now, are we clear on how I feel about your body? I do not want to have to stop every five minutes."

She nodded her head. "Yes Eric. I'm sorry."

I kissed her forehead and started where I'd left off. I have a near perfect memory. Putting my hands on her body like this would allow me to know if there was the slightest change. It would also allow me to know her size when buying things for her like clothes, lingerie, and other fun stuff. After I got the feel of her torso, I got to my knees and ran my hands down the length of both legs. I spanned her upper thighs, above her knees, her calves, and her ankles with my hands and fingers, again to gauge the size. Her hair was growing out. I noticed it under her arms before and now on her legs. She wasn't used to this, but I thought it made her look better. I didn't hate all cosmetics and modern appearance care, but it was nice to have her be more natural. I examined her feet, taking note of the pedicure that had been done earlier. I tried tickling her feet but got no response. I was disappointed. I had heard that humans were ticklish on their feet.

"Where are you ticklish, Dina?" I asked her.

"What?"

"Ticklish. Your feet aren't. Where?"

"Eric! I don't want to tell you that! You'll use it against me!" she exclaimed, giggling.

I wasn't having that. "Let me put it this way. You will either tell me where, or I will find out for myself. If I have to find out for myself, I will tie you down one day and tickle-torture you until you beg for mercy, and then some more after that." I stood up and waited for her response.

She got red once again. Have I mentioned how much I love to see her blush? "Um, well, my, um…"

"I am waiting, Dina." I used my Dominant voice that always got a response from her. I scented her arousal again at the sound of my voice like that and took note.

"Um, under my, er, arms and, um, ribs." she said haltingly.

Of course I had to test it out. I reached out and tickled her where she had said. It was very convenient that I had her hands cuffed at the back of her neck. She had no way to defend herself. I laughed wickedly as she shrieked and tried to move out of my reach, which was impossible. I'd wanted to get her laughing because she would hate what I was about to do. I made her cry for mercy and then stopped.

While her hands were still out of my way, I moved behind her to examine her back. I ran my fingers down her spine, finding it to be straight. I checked her neck, noticing a small scar near her ear. She told me it was from accidentally burning herself with a hair straighter. I would consult Leila, but doubted she would ever use one of those again. She had a small mole just right of her spine a bit below the waist. I would keep an eye on that. Then I uncuffed her hands and spent a few minutes helping her rub the feeling back into them. I rather liked the look of the posture collar, though, so I left it there.

"Bend over and touch your fingers to the floor," I ordered suddenly. Her face turned red again and she hesitated long enough for me to start getting impatient. I could feel turmoil within her through the bond. Before I had to say it again, she did as I asked. I put two fingers inside her vagina, which I found to be very, very wet. "I think you are enjoying this much more than you let on." I said in a lustful voice, but I didn't expect an answer. I moved my fingers in and out a few times. "How tight can you squeeze me?" I asked her.

I felt her clamp her muscles and was impressed. "Have you practiced this?" I asked curiously.

"A little. I read about it in a magazine and heard it on a show once." I could see the blush on her body and heard it in her voice. I was happy that I wouldn't have to work too hard on her vaginal muscle training. "Alright, one more thing since there are many things to get done tonight." I removed my fingers and used my other hand to start pulling her into a standing position. I placed my fingers at her mouth and she started sucking without having to me told. I smiled. She was learning so quickly and so well. I walked her to the bed once she cleaned my hand of her juices. "I want you to bend over. Put your weight on your elbows and spread your legs wide."

She moved to do as I said, but I saw her muscles tense. She was very nervous. I started to run my hands over her hips and massage her lower back. "Is there somewhere you are a virgin?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yea." She said quietly, her voice shaky.

"Want to try that again? I said, generously.

She hesitated before replying, "Yes, Eric."

I was excited. I didn't care that my pet had been sexually active before me. It would be unhealthy for her not to be. But it was nice to have something completely mine. I took similar pleasure in knowing I controlled who would see her body and what parts of it, of course. There was the added bonus that anal, more so than any other form of sex, had the ability to be painful or pleasurable. It would take time for us to work up to me taking her virginity and I planned to make the event memorable. "Let's see how you feel, Lover."

I surprised her by sliding a finger into her pussy. She moaned and I added another. I pumped them steadily and began to press against her G-spot. I wanted them soaking wet. After a few moment and before she came, I slid my fingers out of her. They were quickly put against her back entrance. She stiffened. "You need to relax. Feel how wet you are. You know you enjoy what I do to you."

I began to run small circles around her hole and could tell she enjoyed this. I gently pressed in one fingertip. Her body moved to press me away. I kept a firm hand on her hip. "Relax. It hurts less when you are calm." I pressed the finger in further. I held it inside her and felt her extreme tightness. My cock nearly exploded in jealousy of my digit buried inside her unbreached hole. She slowly relaxed and I began to move it in and out of her. I once again felt the need to be kind. Since she was so unsure, I'd let her help set the pace.

"Dina, would you like to try one more finger? You can say 'no;' you've done well tonight."

"No. Please, Eric, not just yet." She replied. I could tell she was grateful. I kept my finger moving and twisted it slightly. I was going to make sure to give her good fingering tonight. I knew she was feeling both a lot of pleasure and pain. I'd classify it more as discomfort than true pain. I didn't stop until I felt the lube she provided drying up. I pulled my finger out and grabbed both of her hips. "I need to have you now."

"Yes Eric." It sounded like a plea. I quickly readied myself and dove into her. She was gushing for me. I fucked her hard and fast. She came first, screaming my name. I followed behind her. It took us only minutes to finish. Her body collapsed, half on the floor and half on the bed. I truly hadn't planned on having sex with her before I left for Fangtasia. She made me crave sex like I was still a newborn.

I got back on track, as I had a lot to do tonight. I went to the dresser and retrieved the collar she's worn for most of her stay here. I was still ordering more for her and would enjoy using them all, but I would probably keep the plain leather D-ring one on her most days. I came back to find her still recovering. "Lets change collars." I nformed what I was about to do. I began to undo the posture collar. She flexed her freed neck when I finished. Generally, I would always collar and uncollar her. I felt it was important for her to collar herself this morning. She was here and submitting to me willingly. I wanted to have her willfully and physically show that submission. It also worked out quite well for her to have such a thin collar on when she went to her stylist. I wasn't sure if I'd repeat this for the next appointment or if I'd change her collar before bed. She sat on the bed, still nude, only in her collar. I pulled her out a silk robe and handed it o her. She pulled it no and fastened the belt.

"Come on, Lover. Go refresh yourself and meet me in the living room." I pulled her up and gently patted her butt as she walked out of the room.

DINA POV

I was slightly shaken up by the inspection. It was both mental and physical. I could almost ignore the physical parts, if it wasn't for how it made me feel. My body was truly owned. I was positioned, looked at, touched, and (for lack of a better word) appraised by the one who owned me. I had read that even after years some subs always feel embarrassed during an inspection_. Great._ This may not get easier.

I think – and I hated to even think this- that I was most upset because it turned me on. I enjoyed the humiliating act of having my body reviewed for Eric's pleasure. I couldn't remember what that paraphilia was where people got off on being humiliated, but I was worried that I fell under that heading. And Eric was right – I responded positively to some of the pain as well. Some I hated. I wished I hated it all.

_How could I enjoy that at all?_

And worst of all, Eric knew I enjoyed it. He felt it. He sensed it. He smelled it. The whole time.

I was also embarrassed first by how I looked and then humiliated that I cried like a 14 year old girl over how I looked. It made me feel like heaven to know Eric felt I was beautiful. I would have to get over this so I didn't keep bringing this topic up. It was so strange that Eric liked me with some extra pounds and unshaven everywhere.

Speaking of everywhere, having Eric's finger in my butt was a very new thing for me. I was nervous about having his cock in there. There was some pain and it didn't feel nice the whole time. I enjoyed some of it, but was unwilling to let him add another digit. I wondered just how patient he was going to be about taking my virginity. I didn't know if I wanted to put it off or get the first time – which is always the worst - over with.

I shook my head and went to find a snack. I grabbed my drinkable yogurt from our store outing and began to chug it. It was cold against my teeth – which as Leila pointed out, weren't in the best shape – but I was hungry. I also cracked open a can of Mountain Dew Throwback and got my much-needed caffeine fix. I was curious as to what exactly Eric was looking through in that case I gave him from Bobby. It was tightly locked, but that didn't mean anything- Eric was so careful and conscious of his privacy, nearly everything was locked.

I debated what I'd say about Bobby – did I want to be preemptive or wait until Eric read his report and brought it up? Preemptive made me look more innocent – which I already was. But it might be better to see what Bobby actually said before I started telling Eric my side. Besides – what was I going to say? I didn't want any harm to come to that slime ball. I learned quickly that complaining to a vampire usually meant whoever you bitched about didn't live too long afterward. Me kicking or slapping him was one thing – and if he would have gotten any closer I would have – but I didn't want Eric to kill him. And for all his faults, Bobby was loyal to Eric. He did his job well.

Plus, it made me feel weak to run to my big, strong, fanged boyfriend because some jerk messed with me.

Eric came up behind me and put his arm around my waist. "I have to go to the bar. I want to feed before I leave."

I put down my beverage and followed as he led me to the couch. He pulled me on his lap.

"I'm going to feed well tonight; more than usual. I want you to eat and drink what I left out for you once I finish." He gestured at a tray on the table. I didn't know I'd missed it when I first walked in. I nodded. I began to feel nervous. What exactly was he going to do at the bar? Did something happen?

Of course he sensed my uneasiness. "Shh, It's fine. Just business. Nothing bad for me, I promise you." He began to nuzzle my shoulder and collar-clad neck. "I hate to take this off so soon after it going back to its rightful place."

He removed my collar and started to lick and kiss my throat. I leaned back into him, moaning. He always made it feel so good. His fangs sank into me. His hands didn't roam over my breasts and between my thighs like they normally did. He seemed focused on feeding, but still made an effort to caress me. I laced my fingers with the hand he had around my midsection. His other hand slid up to my face to both hold my head and stroke my cheek.

Around the time he normally stopped, he sucked harder. I began to feel a bit woozy. He finally stopped and sealed my wounds. He placed my collar back on and slid me off his lap, on to the couch. I quickly had some vitamin b-12 and iron pills in a small cup put in my hand. I tossed them in my mouth and took the water Eric offered me. Next I downed some juice and began to munch on some cookies Eric had thoughtfully placed on the tray. I smiled, loving how attentive Eric was.

"How long are you going to be gone?" I asked, slightly nervous of being here all alone. I hated not knowing and waiting. And not being able to leave if I wanted to. I also didn't know what to do if something went wrong…not that it realistically would. I was a worry wart.

"It might take a while. I'm going to leave something with you." He disappeared into the other room and came back holding a cell phone in his hand. "You can use this to call me if you need me. I don't want you to contact anyone else."

He came and sat in front on me, using the table as a chair. He showed me how his cell, Fangtasia, and Pam's contact information was stored in the contacts. "Dina," I looked up and he cupped my face. "Remember: you are not locked in, everyone else is locked out."

He kissed me. "I'll be home soon lover, I have one more thing for you. Wait here."

He left to go upstairs and I sat there dumbfounded. I didn't expect this. I think I was going to take a nap after I finished my cookies. I was so drained_. Haha, I was literally a little drained thanks to Eric. _

Eric came back 2 and a half cookies later. He was carrying bags of food. Amazing smelling food!

"I found all your favorites off your order history online. Bobby stopped to pick you up a couple dinners from two or three places. Put what don't finish in the fridge. And…The last of your DVDs are here. As always you are free to journal for me or for yourself while I'm gone. Will you miss me, lover?"

I looked at him, still shocked, with drool coming out of my mouth. "You know I will. Hurry back, please." I hoped he could feel the overwhelming love and gratitude that I felt for him. Had a better man ever walked the face of the earth?

"I will."

And with that he was gone and I was left to devour the 'couple' of dinners he got me.


	20. Consequences With Eric POV

as always: most of these characters are not mine, there are adult themes and most are graphic, and this is only fiction. I think I've explained in other chapters the differences between vampire/human D/s relationships and human/human ones - so please don't use this an at home guide.

There might be content some readers feel uncomfortable with. read at your own risk.

**and please read and review **(reviews keep stories moving...)

* * *

**ERIC POV**

I bid my Dina goodbye and made haste to the top floor of the house. There was a single window there with a small balcony, which I stepped on to briefly before taking to the air. That single window had more security on it than any window or door in the house. It was one of my favorite places to take off from when I was going to fly.

Along the way, I pondered my life. Yes, life. Before Dina it had been a mere existence. There were things I was lacking before, that I didn't even know of until now. Deep feelings that I hadn't felt in so long, I had forgotten to miss them. But now I had everything a man could wish for. I was the richest Vampire in Louisiana. Queen Sophie Anne's fortune didn't hold a candle to mine. My power and influence was also exceptional. There were few throughout the southern United States who could rival me. I had a position of authority in the kingdom that did not take up too much of my time, and a successful public business that I enjoyed running. I had a fierce, loyal child of whom I was very proud. I had a strong, beautiful, intelligent woman who was completely submissive to me and who also loved me. Dina kept me warm with more than just her body. Living within the scope of her love was incredible and I loved the way she not only accepted the dominant, often sadistic Vampire in me, but also provided a soft place for me to land when the world threatened to come crashing down. A Vampire does not show it, but we too have days when we feel run down, mentally exhausted, physically depleted. Dina was the answer to my prayers. She knew just where and how to touch me, not necessarily sexually, to make me feel better. I felt happier than I had in centuries. Only training Pam and watching her mature into the spectacular Vampire she was had caused me so much joy.

In minutes I touched down in the woods just out of sight of the back parking lot of Fangtasia, where only Pam, myself, and Vampires on duty in the bar were allowed to park. I didn't want to take the chance of giving my secret away. I sped across the parking lot to the back door, quickly unlocked it, and entered. Pam was already standing there to greet me, a stack of paperwork in her hands.

"Master, you look exceptionally well!" she told me with a knowing smile and a wink.

I growled at her for her impertinence but returned her smile. "Pamela, I have rarely been better." I took the stack of papers from her to look through. Most were mundane things but I paused with interest when I found that Leila had faxed me a complete report of her time with My Dina that morning. I handed the stack back to Pam with that on top. "Lock these in the office and I will see to them later, and then meet me back here."

She nodded, and in seconds was back at my side as I was unlocking the door to the storeroom, behind which was the secret door that led downstairs into the part of the basement that we didn't show to many. If you did get to see this part of the basement, chances are you would not live much longer. I could hear a soft moaning between what sounded like prayers coming out of our resident "guest." I stopped briefly to put on a pair of tight black gloves, the kind I liked to wear both to intimidate and to keep my hands clean when doing what I was about to do. Pam never wore gloves. As I moved aside the false wall and entered the code to gain access to the basement, I turned to Pam and grinned. Both of our fangs came down at the same time. We were very much alike, the two of us. Pam loved a good torture-killing as much as I did. She understood why I was doing this and was glad to participate. She knew that if someone had grievously wronged one of her pets (Dina was much more than a pet but Pam never bonded or took on anyone she hoped to spend eternity with), I would help her to kill the wrongdoer as well. Passing the door, we made a point of shuffling our feet loudly and making conversation.

"You look stunning tonight, my dear." I told Pam sincerely. Her long blonde hair was held back by a simple back band on top of her head, and she wore a tight, black spandex dress with a neckline that dipped down to her navel. Her breasts and nipples strained against the material which was solid atop her breasts. The rest of the bodice was intricately cut in a lacy spider web pattern that covered the low back and continued all the way to the dropped waist, clinging sensually to all of her curves. The skirt was made of alternating panels of the solid and the cutout, the cutout pieces covered in sheer lace with a slight sheen. The hemline was uneven, giving it a rippled appearance, and fell just above her knees in an A-line shape. The sleeves were made of the same sheer lace and hugged her well-toned arms all the way to the wrists and extended along the top of the hand in a V-shape, at the end of which was a white gold ring that she wore on her middle finger of each hand. "Are those new shoes?" They were black, high, and strappy, the straps wrapping around her legs for a few inches above the ankle.

"Yes, Master, Louboutins," she responded. .

"Perhaps you should take them off. The blood might ruin them!" I said loudly, laughing silently. The moaning and prayers had stopped and now I could tell that he was holding his breath. The smell of his fear was energizing and I could feel a sense like an adrenaline rush building inside of me to join with the extreme anticipation that was already there. I breathed in the stench of his urine and feces; he had not been allowed to use the toilet while he was here. Pam had stripped him naked and suspended him in the middle of the room by his armpits and his crotch. We had devised a unique suspension system that would keep the suspended off-balance by pulling tighter in one place than another, or moving to lean slightly to one side or the other. The point was not to allow our victim to get comfortable, relax, or sleep while in our clutches. Pam had come down once a day and turned a sharp jet of icy cold water on his privates to clean him of his messes and rinse them down the drain below his feet.

"The blood will season them!" she told me excitedly. "And if I do not like it, you will buy me new ones." I growled good-naturedly at her and we both laughed. I paid for all of Pam's expenditures, and soon would pay for all of Dina's as well, once she was sufficiently trained and able to leave the house accompanied by myself or Pam to do her own clothes-shopping. Pam's normal clothing outside of Fangtasia was classic and elegant. She only wore the "Vampire gear" while on duty at the bar.

We arrived at the bottom of the stairs and surveyed our captive, who looked miserable currently. The system had tilted him sharply to his left, putting a lot of pressure on his right armpit, while at the same time it had tightened the ropes under the left side of his crotch until they were unbearably tight. One of his testicles was stuck in it and was positively blue!

"Hello Paul!" I said jovially. "How's it hanging? Whoops, that was rude!" I turned to Pam and we laughed at my joke. He wisely didn't respond, instead staring warily at us. "Now, I think you know why you are here. Isn't that right?" I started walking around him and casually spun the mechanism to which he was attached. Except "casual" for me was rather extreme for him, and he spun violently for a few seconds before Pam grabbed the remote control and brought the mechanism to a stop. I was in the background laughing but apparently our "friend" didn't find it funny.

"What the fuck man?" he screamed at me, his face very red.

All traces of mirth left me and I reached out to grab his hair. "Who do you think you are speaking to, MAN?" I said in my iciest, most menacing voice. But he was too stupid to back off, even as disadvantaged as he was.

"Fuckin' fanger!" he yelled at me. "Where do you get off putting me in here? Who the fuck do you think you are?" His mouth started to make a motion like he was going to spit on me, so I let go of his hair and backhanded him across the face. He was finally smart enough to shut up.

"Do I have your attention now, Paul?" I asked him. "Oh, but I hear they call you Curly." My tone was almost friendly now. "Is that because of this?" I reached up to grab his hair again, but this time I grabbed the mullet-like long portion that grew past his collar.

"Uh, yeah, it is," he said, subdued now.

"How interesting." I said casually, then I grabbed on hard and yanked, pulling his hair right out of his head along with a chunk of scalp. He screamed and I threw it over my shoulder. Blood flew everywhere and splattered in his face. He shook his head like a dog and continued to scream.

Pam had finally heard enough. She slapped him. "Stop acting like a baby! Shut up!" she ordered him, annoyed. Behind his back I grinned at her and removed my gloves for a few moments.

I had instructed Pam to bring my iPad downstairs earlier, and I picked it up now and brought up a picture of my Dina, smiling into the camera on a sunny day. I held it up to him, repeating, "I do believe you know why you are here?" He squinted at it so I pushed it into his face. "Beautiful, isn't she? Yes, I agree. I'm quite taken with her myself." I pulled it back and wiped his blood off of the screen, gazing at the picture fondly.

"Fangbanging cunt," he said under his breath.

I looked up at him, my eyes blazing, and handed the iPad to Pam. "What did you say?" I cocked my head at him and came close. He jerked as if he wanted to grab or kick at me, but the way he was hanging didn't allow him to do that.

"I know you did not just insult my Bonded, did you? DID YOU?" I grabbed his throat and began to squeeze. "Because if you did, I might have to kill you for it!" My voice was loud and deadly. The idiot started to shake his head, terrified of my threat, seeming to want to take back his insult. I roughly patted his face twice, acting as though I believed him. "Good man." I said evenly, smiling at him through my fangs. He actually seemed to take a deep breath and relax. Stupid redneck.

"Oh, that's right!" I said next, after appearing to walk away. "There is one other small matter." I turned and started to walk around him again. "There is the fact that you tried to rape her in Merlotte's. There is the fact that she was terrified of you. There is the matter that you touched what is mine, with intent to harm!" I was back to standing in front of him now, and he actually seemed to perceive that he was in trouble. "I WILL have to kill you for that!"

At that second, with a hand signal from me, Pam let down the entire harness system that held him off the ground. He fell hard onto the concrete floor. My whole body was humming, full of the need to kill to defend my chosen woman. But I wanted none of his blood. I had hers waiting for me at home. I picked up the idiot and threw him across the room. Then I advanced on him and slowly broke every bone in his arms and legs. I picked him back up and threw him one more time, in Pam's direction. He kept screaming at me, yelling things like 'no' and 'please,' but my ears were deaf to his pleas.

"He is yours, Pam, on one condition." I said evenly.

"Yes, Master?" she licked her fangs within his sight. The redneck was still screaming and cursing us.

"Shut up!" we yelled at him in unison. He did, surprisingly.

I took a switchblade out of my back pocket. "Cut his dick off and feed it to him before the end." I threw the blade to Pam, walked over to retrieve my iPad from where she had set it down, and started back up the stairs.

"Thank you Master!" she called to me just as I slammed the door. Gods, I needed a shower!

I went back upstairs and peeled my clothes off. I was going to have to permanently dispose of the clothes I wore to the basement; nothing would clean those. I was going to simply tell Dina I had showered at the bar and that's why I was coming home in different clothing. It was tricky to not lie, but not hurt my delicate Bonded's sensibilities. I would never understand her being upset that I killed the man who attacked her. I balled the clothes up and tossed them in a bag. I was going to take a hot shower to start to decompressing my nerves. I tried to be quick, but some of the blood from my prisoner had dried on my skin and wouldn't come off.

I was meeting with Bobby soon and I had to calm myself. I had a plan to deal with the situation that occurred earlier today. Being a Vampire in such a political world had taught me to hide my feelings well. I knew when I got home I was going to see My Dina and feel the same intense feelings that led me to track down, torture, and kill her attacker. But I was going to be calm – aloof even – with Bobby. Once I felt pristine, I toweled off and slipped into a grey and green tracksuit. I fixed up my damp hair to the best of my ability. I thought My Dina was going to appreciate how I looked once I got home.

I went to my office and started to get my stuff in order. I checked my phone and had one text from Dina. I texted her back and hoped she'd take a nap before I got home. I found the key and unlocked the drawer where Pam had left the receipt from Leila. I set up my laptop and logged in to my security system. It was very advanced technology. I was going to review the tapes from today to see what exactly had happened between my human and my dayman. I also had a nice program on it – some might call it a virus – that recorded every keystroke Dina made on her laptop. I would even be able to see when and if she tried to delete things from history. As of now, she had been sticking to only the sites I selected for her and spending some time on . I might buy her the membership so she could access all the features. I decided it best to review the paperwork from Leila before watching the tapes.

She bullet-pointed everything she did and made a few comments. I had ordered some custom gags and teeth covers from the molds she took. I would get them by the end of the month, if not sooner. She did however note that there were some cavities and recommended I take Dina to a dentist. I would have to see what Dr. Ludwig said. I doubted she did teeth, but perhaps she could recommend someone. I wondered why this was never brought to my attention before but I didn't feel that I could be angry with Dina. After all, I had never asked, and it wasn't as if we sat around discussing her health when we were alone. We were... what was the human saying? Like two rabbits in heat. I chuckled to myself at my little joke. I kept reading and saw a question about hair color. I knew Dina dyed – the 4 different shades of red made that fairly obvious. I didn't know how I felt about this. I did love how she looked, but had always preferred a more natural look. Even a woman who dyed her hair in a way that made it look like she was born with it, appealed to me more than some of the unnatural hair fashions I'd seen. I think I'd test out letting her dye her hair as she had been doing. I'd tell Leila what she used and make sure we had the right supplies. She was also starting a skin regimen and asked that I trust her to bring results in her own time. I trusted her expertise. I was pleased, and quite proud of My Dina, to find that Leila had also found nothing negative to say about her on the paperwork. That would have been something I could not ignore, and would have had to hand down some sort of punishment.

I put the receipt in my safe and sat back down to watch the footage. I plugged in my headphones. I saw the 8 video screens that showed the cameras around the house. When I saw My Dina come into the living room I clicked to make the image larger and adjusted the volume.

I caught his dirty look and the uncertainty in her voice and noted both of these. He needed to watch how he looked at what was mine and she needed to be more confident. He then appeared to admire her breasts. I felt my fangs press against my gums. I switched camera views as they left the room. I watched their ascent up the stairs with growing irritation. He was being ridiculously rude and grossly overestimating his position within my employ and confidence.

I almost broke my desk when I heard him threaten her. Since when did Bobby know about any of the women I consorted with? I couldn't remember the last time I killed one of my meals. His implication was made to terrify her. I didn't know if he was trying to leverage her fear for his benefit or if he just enjoyed being cruel. Regardless of his intention, he had no right to comment to my Bonded about any of my previous liaisons. It was up to me to do, or not do, that. I saw her stunned into silence and then she forced herself not to respond. I think overall she made the right choice. She didn't need to speak up; I was going to punish him on her behalf soon enough. When I saw him grab her arm, I had to pause the tape and try to control myself. I was about to break something and ruin my plans. There was no excuse for him touching her. I couldn't believe I was going to have to find and train a new dayman after I killed Bobby. Dammit! I'd had him in my employment for years. I forced myself to regain control and finish the video.

I began to think Bobby meant to coerce a sexual act out of my Bonded. He was too eager to be in the room where she would be nude and his eyes spent too much time on her ass as she walked in front of him. He was a fool if he thought any man would touch her but me. I had already set a precedent tonight that foolish men who did so died slowly in my dungeon. I didn't click the screen depicting the time Dina spent with Leila. I wasn't interested in watching her being groomed and didn't want to invade her privacy. I had taken her friends from her. If she could make one with Leila, I wouldn't intrude. I trusted them to speak alone. I stayed with the hallway camera.

Bobby pressed his ear against the door. But it was useless; the room was soundproof. He slid to the floor and I watched to see what he would do next. His hand went to his crotch. My fangs clicked into place. I couldn't believe what I was witnessing. Bobby had undone his pants and was masturbating furiously! He kept mumbling about a 'little whore' and a 'red headed slut'. I knew without a doubt he was thinking about My Dina. My rage and my disgust were almost more than I could bear. Most of all I felt like I had made yet another mistake with my Bonded. Bobby was an ass, but I never concerned myself with that fact. I let him take Dina to her appointment because I didn't doubt his loyalty. But obviously, he didn't value my relationship with her the way he should have. I could almost hear Dina's voice telling me my biases against humans were blinding me. I ignored Bobby's behavior because I thought it was insignificant to me, but now I couldn't help but wonder what other relationships, and not necessarily those with women, Bobby might have damaged for me because of his pompous idiocy. I also wondered who else on my staff might not be safe enough to have around Dina. I watched him climax and spend the remainder of the time on his blackberry. I saw him stand outside the door as Leila's scheduled time to end the session came near. If I saw him touch her again with his cum-stained hands I swore I would kill him the moment he walked into Fangtasia.

When Bobby threatened and insulted her again all the way back to the office leading to our living area, I was less shocked. I was still enraged. I saw her give him a defiant look and cutting remarks. I sighed and looked at the time stamps. There were a few sections Bobby would be watching with me. I was interested in his explanation, but his sentence was already decided.

I slowly began to stretch and try to calm myself. I practiced some of my exercise techniques and thought about how fulfilling it would be if I could calm down and accomplish this. I thought of the satisfaction I'd get after knowing that Bobby wasn't even all that loyal – I expected him to lie to me. I also wanted to see what My Dina would say to me. I wondered if she would be honest. Unlike with Bobby, I don't think she would lie out of malice or cowardice. But I had a feeling I'd hear less than the absolute truth of things. I would have to quickly punish and correct this. Better to tackle these things early in training.

I finally found where I needed to be. I felt the hunger to trap Bobby and fully vet out how deep his loyalty ran and how much value he had to me. I was going to test my slave and possibly administer her first real punishment. I sat in my chair and began to pull out papers so it appeared I was busy. I locked my headphones away. I wanted Bobby to think there was no sound to these tapes.

At 3:50am, my office phone rang. I answered it and Ginger told me Bobby had arrived. I told her to send him in. He came in looking fine and not seeming to be fearful. He respectfully bowed and addressed me as 'Master'. I beckoned him to sit down on the other side of my desk. Once seated, I cut to the chase; as I would with any manner.

"I wanted to discuss your messages and your report."

"Of course Master, I trust you understand my complaint."

Suddenly, his typical sense of self-importance upset me. It was no longer a nuisance unworthy of my attention. It made my gums throb. I wanted to beat him and watch his pride break as he cried. I forced these thoughts to the back of my mind.

"Not really. I was quite surprised. I have some footage; I'd like you to 'narrate' for me."

I turned the laptop toward him. I noticed he paled and seemed to finally show a slight sign of nervousness. "How about we start with this?" I hit fast-forward and enhanced the picture of Bobby addressing her when she first came out.

"Well, I said 'hello' to her and began to tell her about our day. She seemed bored with me already and was acting as though I was wasting her time." His voice became more and more confident as he continued.

"And the way you looked at her?"

"Naturally, I was upset with her rude looks and bad posture."

"Anything else? I can think of something."

"I was surprised at her outfit. I know you are an exceptional Vampire, Master, but most pets aren't dressed like that. She was obviously wearing an expensive, top-of-the-line dress."

"So you were surprised and stared at her?"

"It was wrinkled and she stood there in such a way that it made it look cheap. You know how these girls are."

Now I was intrigued. Where would he take this? He was getting too confident if he thought he could insult her in front of me.

"How, what girls are?"

"You know Master…the lower class fangbangers. They can't appreciate what they are given. I think that's what her attitude is from: she is ungrateful and entitled."

I believe Dina would tell me this was called 'projecting'. I called it 'earning your death sentence'.

"I see. Let's continue."

I turned the screen away from him. I was intentionally going to skip the hallway scenes. He wouldn't be able to explain masturbating in my hallway. I would allow him to assume there was no camera there. I got to the part of the video that showed Leila opening the door for him. You could see her walk to the door and not much else.

"This is where you asked to come into the room?"

"Yes, Master. I explained that I had to monitor the situation to make sure it was up to your standards. I also wasn't sure if you were worried about the girl doing something that would embarrass you."

"Bobby, are you aware that this woman is bonded to me?" I wanted to know if he knew the significance of my relationship with Dina.

"Yes, Master!" He nodded emphatically.

"And, what does that mean to you?"

He seemed to sense that I was fishing for something but I could tell he wasn't sure what. The smell of fear began to permeate the room, however lightly. "Well Master, I believe that it means she is in need of some discipline from you."

I watched his Adam's apple as he swallowed nervously but deliberately did not look at the artery so obviously pulsing below his skin. I couldn't give any hint of what I was thinking or he would try to run, and I would be forced to kill him now.

"Indeed." I nodded, giving him no further comment. I showed him the last part of the tape where he gave her the case. He was quick to point out her dirty look. I assured him I'd deal with the matter fully as my schedule permitted. He thanked me and I was disgusted by his normally flattering worship. I dismissed him and got ready to go home. I was anxious to get home to my Dina. I would enjoy my Bonded until dawn and confront her at sunset tomorrow.

The sun would come up in just over two hours and I wanted to make the most of the time we had. I stopped in the restroom to check my tight braid – I'd braided it so that flying home wouldn't destroy it. She always said she loved me in green and so I wanted my hair to look good along with my clothing. Pam had still not come up from the basement; I hoped she was having a good time down there. She was so good at drawing out her kills. I picked up the small bundle of clothing that I'd been wearing when I arrived earlier this evening, and stepped outside the back door. The bar had closed early tonight because we had hosted a private party. We had supplied flowers as part of our package deal and some had been tiger lilies. Our guests had left a few bouquets in the bar area and I kept them when the staff had cleaned up. Now I slipped a couple dozen inside my jacket along with a thin vase; they reminded me of my little tiger lily waiting at home. All should have been quiet and empty outside, but I stopped to scan the surrounding area for the presence of anyone, or anything. Finding nothing, I ran at Vampire speed across the parking lot and into the woods where I could safely leave the ground without anyone seeing me.

The recycling yard on the edge of Shreveport was burning tires tonight. That would be the perfect place to drop my little bundle of clothes. I took aim and flew swiftly over the low-burning fire. There was barely any smoke but I went through so fast that I doubt I picked up any of the odor. Tires burned so hot that what I had dropped would never be seen again. If it was, it wasn't like they would find any DNA – there was no technology to get it from Vampires.

The rest of my flight would take roughly 15 minutes. I closed my eyes and allowed my bloodlust and euphoria from the torture-kill of that stupid redneck flood my senses. My cock was hard immediately as I thought of My Dina waiting at home for me. I had kept the bond closed off to her all night and I had no doubt that she was worried. She had done me proud, though, and had not hounded me with inquiries about where I was or what I was doing. She had sent a single text message right after I had finished in the basement, asking if I was all right. I had replied that I would still be gone for some time and urged her to take a nap. She had replied with one of those little smiley-faces that humans love so much, and that had been it. Leila had called her high-strung, but although I had felt her worrying and missing me through the bond, she had not contacted me again. I was glad when I felt her go to sleep, because I would most certainly be keeping her active when I arrived home. I sent my lust and anticipation as hard as I could at her, hoping she would get the message. The feelings that I felt coming back from her were happy and warm, even hot. I flew a little bit faster.

Arriving at the house, I didn't want to bother with my high perch again, for there were too many security doors to get through between the top of the house and my lair. I landed at the back door and quickly disabled the security long enough to get inside and lock it back up tight. I took a moment to unbraid my hair and run my fingers through it, knowing that it was now wavy and full. I pulled the flowers out of my jacket, glad that they weren't too smashed, and headed downstairs. I wasn't prepared for the sight that met my eyes.

As I came through the security door, I set the flowers in the corner on the floor. I turned my head to see if she was on the couch, but it was vacant. I noticed the curtain that led to the bedroom was drawn shut. I walked up and opened it with both of my hands, ready to demand to know why. She was only a foot or two past the doorway, freshly showered and smelling of what she knew to be my favorite scented body wash. She was completely naked except she had looped the sash of the periwinkle blue silk robe I'd left her in through the D-ring in her collar and had then tied it around each of her wrists, giving herself limited use of her hands. She knelt on the floor, knees spread wide apart, the scent of her arousal blossoming in the room and making my nostrils flare hungrily. Her hands rested on her thighs, palms upturned, and her head was bowed. She said nothing, but the excitement and anticipation coming through the bond was shouting at me! My fangs clicked into place and she jumped slightly when she heard them.

"A stunningly beautiful gift such as I have never before received," I said softly, stopping a few feet in front of her. "Rise, Dearest, and come to me." She looked up and gave me with the sweetest smile I have ever seen. I held out my hand and she took it. Stretching out one arm drew the other hand close to her body because of the tie. "Oohh, I think that I like this very much!" I crooned, turning her around and drawing her close to me. I pinned one hand behind her back and the other dangled helplessly at her collar while I teased her nipples, pinching and pulling at them. She giggled.

Aroused by her laughter I backed her up against the wall, growling lustily at her. I pulled her arms around my neck, forcing her face close to me, and I began using all 1000 years of my expertise to kiss her senseless. Very soon her laughter died, replaced by soft sighs and moans. I slid my pants down and freed my erection. Elastic pants were a great invention. I kept her arms around me so that she couldn't draw away. My plan was to make her knees give way, and when they did I picked her up and pulled her legs around my waist. Then I forcefully pushed into her, holding her there impaled on my "sword," her only means of support. I continued to assault her lips with my own, my teeth, and my fangs, until she started squirming around, silently asking me to move. I growled again and pulled her up, then back down hard on my straining cock, finally slamming myself into her over and over as I held her captive against the wall. She opened her mouth to cry out, but only managed to say "ah! Ah! Ah!" in time with each of my thrusts. The bond told me that she was nearing her climax and her movements against me became more and more frenzied. My hands grabbed her shoulders and I pushed her hard onto me, over and over as my hips came forward. She was incoherent, only managing to smile at me as her eyes closed in ecstasy. Finally she was coming, and I stopped holding back my own release so that we could do it together.

There is nothing sexier to a man's ears than to hear your lover scream out your name as she comes hard, and that is exactly what Dina did. I couldn't hold back and I buried my fangs in her breast, just above the nipple, and sucked greedily as I tasted the effects of our hot romp. Her head lolled to the side on her shoulder as she leaned back to give me access. I didn't want to be too greedy too soon, so I sealed the wounds quickly and looked up at her face, only to see her love reflected there a thousand times. She moved forward for a kiss; my Dina was never squeamish about kissing me with blood on my lips. I kissed her hard, deep, hungry to let her know I wasn't finished with her yet. She reacted by wiggling her ass around causing my half hard cock to grow to full size again.

"Go to the bed," I ordered her in my Dominant voice, a little bit softer because of the tender moment we had just shared. "Present yourself to me. Do you remember how?" She smiled excitedly and nodded. "That's my girl. Get in the middle and grab onto the headboard rails and wait for me." I pushed deep into her a couple of times and she moaned, but then I gently put her down and watched her ass as she ran to the bed to do my bidding. Her eagerness to please me warmed my heart.

I went to the toy closet behind my regular closet and chose three items, bringing them over to the bed. She was just as I had instructed her to be, on her knees, ass in the air, head down and arms reaching for the headboard. I set down one item but put the other two next to her. The first item was a padded blindfold that blocked out all traces of light. I fastened this snugly over her eyes and around her head.

"Eric?" she said softly.

"Yes, little one?"

"The blindfold freaks me out a little bit. Will you take it off if I get hysterical?" She spoke haltingly as though afraid to ask this of me. I didn't want her to fear me and promised myself I would work on that.

"Part of this relationship is about me pushing your limits to find your true boundaries," I responded, my hand on her back for reassurance. "I will remove it only if it causes you extreme distress. I don't want you to be frightened of me or the things we will do together. Understood?"

She sighed, clearly disappointed and I felt a tinge of fear through the bond. "Yes, Eric. I'll try."

"That is all I ask," I told her, bending over to kiss her shoulder. I had one more thing to add. I had a pair of solid metal cuffs; instead of a chain between them, they were all one piece. I opened them and placed them under her wrists, set the top into place and locked them. Then I fastened the short chain around the center bedrail, keeping the chain long enough so that she could comfortably continue to hold the headboard if she liked. The only problem with that was that the cuffs held her wrists in such a way that her palms were face down. I liked these cuffs because the chain was attached to a swivel, which I would use in a few minutes. As soon as I locked down the cuffs, her fear began to intensify. With other women, I would have built on these feelings and enjoyed the terror of the person inside the body I was fucking. With Dina, I would be gentler, but would not always give in to her, as was the case now. My little one did get turned on by fear and I couldn't lie – her fear thrilled me. But she was more than just a toy. I'd do no serious damage to either her mind or body if I could help it.

I decided to make her forget her fear, so I moved behind her and pushed her knees apart as far as they would go, then my fingers began to work magic. I parted her folds and slipped my finger inside her hot channel, liking the way the walls immediately contracted around it. She was wet, but I wanted her wetter. I began to circle my finger inside of her as I moved it in and out, and with my other hand I reached up to find her clit. As soon as I touched it she jumped, and inside she became wetter. I circled her tiny nub with my fingers for a moment, then decided I wanted some lubrication. I withdrew my hand and stuck my index finger inside of her with my other one, and for a moment I fucked her with both fingers. She seemed to enjoy this immensely; she sighed my name and arched her back to open herself up more to me. Her fear of the blindfold was nearly gone. I removed my second finger but then started using two fingers from my other hand to keep fucking her while my other hand went back up to her clit. I peeled back the hood and applied my wet finger directly to it, and she began to breathe heavier and move her hips along with my fingers fucking her. I wanted to make her come quickly so I kept up my ministrations, my touch firm and insistent. She became extremely wet inside and I knew that she was coming close when her moans and sighs became louder. I also felt her building excitement through the bond. I kept it up, moving my fingers almost at Vampire speed. I had sped up just a tiny bit when her back arched, her walls clamped down hard around my fingers, and she screamed "Oh my God, ERIC!" I kept going until I knew the sensitivity of her parts was more than she could bear, then I removed my hands, grabbed her hips, and thrust inside of her, hard, in one stroke.

I pulled her hips back to me and pressed down on the middle of her back. She understood what I wanted and arched her back for me, raising her ass higher so I could get deeper inside of her. She also relaxed her inner muscles for a few seconds, welcoming me as it were, before she clenched up tight. She had been practicing! Her muscles had gotten stronger since the last time we fucked. The tightness made it so much better for me, my already sensitive cock feeling the pressure of her grip and becoming even more sensitive. If this was heaven I would offer myself up for final death. When she tightened around me, she had to be extra wet or it became difficult to slide in and out of her smoothly. Lucky for me, tonight she was sopping! I growled loudly to show her my pleasure and my thrusts became harder, more insistent. I wanted to bring us quickly to climax again due to the limited time we had before daylight. I pounded into her almost brutally, but if her moans were any sign of how she felt about that, she loved my brutality. I moved fast, kicking it up to Vampire speed. If there hadn't been moisture we would have started a fire. Once again I held back, with difficulty, until she started to lose control of her inner muscles. That was when I knew she was ready. Never slowing down, I reached beneath her with one hand and circled her clit with my fingers. She screamed. I circled it firmly a few more times, her vocals getting more and more pronounced, and then I peeled back the hood and pinched it. She didn't scream, she howled! I heard my name several times but just barely, for I had let myself go and was roaring my pleasure to the Gods. I liked letting loose my Viking war cry when she made me come like this. I hope she realized its significance. Perhaps I should tell her. I hadn't roared like that with anyone recently; it must have been close to 500 years. Slowing down my movements to torment both of us in our oversensitivity after orgasm, I savagely bit into her shoulder, deliberately hurting her a little and causing her to cry out. I put my arms around her waist and hugged her tightly as I sucked another mouthful of blood. Then I sealed the wound and laid my head on her back, sending my tender feelings through the bond and receiving the same in return. I think she had forgotten about the blindfold.

But I still wasn't finished. I wanted more. "Let me move your legs out from under you, Lover," I said softly, kissing my bite mark again and regretfully pulling out of her so that I could lay her flat. She helped me. Then I moved up the side of the bed. "Now I'm going to roll you over, but don't worry, the cuffs will roll with you." She nodded as she still worked to catch her breath.

"You are on a roll tonight, Eric!" she complimented me. "You always make me come hard, but not this hard. What's gotten into you?"

I finished rolling her onto her back and made sure the cuffs weren't cutting off circulation. "How are your hands?" I asked, just to make sure.

"These are a little rough, but they don't hurt and my hands aren't asleep," she answered truthfully.

"Good because you'll be wearing them a while longer." I straddled her and stroked my still hard dick between her breasts a few times to let her feel how aroused I still was. She smiled tiredly at me but didn't protest. But, then again, I had told her that she shouldn't tell me 'no' when I wanted sex, and that if she did ask me to stop I probably would not unless the situation was extreme. She was tired, but well-pleasured. There was time enough for one more go.

I purposely didn't answer her question about what had gotten into me because the bond would not allow me to lie. It would, however, allow me to be vague, so if I had to answer I would be able to gloss over what I had actually done earlier. I left the bed long enough to retrieve the third item I had gotten from the toy closet. When I came back I started to put it on her – it had a cushion that went around the back of the neck, with a slender strap attached to a wide strap on each side. I fastened the wide straps around her thighs just above her knees and adjusted the length of the thinner ones to suit me. When I was finished, her knees were drawn back and her legs were spread wide. They pulled on the part around her neck, but the cushion wouldn't allow any pain or injury. I dipped my head to her and licked every inch of her pussy while, like earlier, I stuck my finger into her ass and gently moved it around. Her hips were starting to move and she tried to raise herself to meet my mouth and tongue, but she had no way to do that. She moaned in frustration as I moved away deliberately, knowing what she was trying to do. I moved my other finger to touch some of the sweet juice dripping from her pussy. Just to make sure the second one was well lubricated, I even spat on it. I began to work two fingers into her tight hole. She wiggled and whimpered my name. I could tell it was more nerves than pain.

"Shh, this won't hurt…see? Once you get used to it, it feels nice. I promise." I focused on working my fingers inside of her. She began to relax. I worked them harder and deeper. She moaned and moved her hips with me. For this being the second time we tried something on her other entrance, we were doing very well. I lowered my head to keep tasting her, while my fingers taught her the delights of anal pleasure.

My tongue worked over her, diving into her slit and rolling over her lips. Then I put my lips around her clit and sucked it between my teeth, nibbling gently. She let out a series of soft "oh, oh, oh's" as I held it lightly with my teeth and let my tongue have its way. Her breathing became heavier and her movements more frenzied. I knew that she was going to come so my tongue worked harder to make that happen. As she drew in a breath and started to cry out my name again, I sank my fangs in to either side of her clit, earning a scream from her that turned into a lusty moan and then cries for mercy as she became too sensitive for my ministrations. But I was relentless, lapping my tongue over her clit as I took her blood. Her screams became more high-pitched and I knew she couldn't take much more, so I pulled out my fangs and sealed the wounds.

Then I moved over her and thrust inside again, hard. I wanted to come one more time before going to rest, and I pounded her mercilessly, her legs helplessly harnessed open wide for me so that I could have my way. I did my best to stroke her g-spot inside because I hoped she'd climax along with me. Her walls expanded and contracted around me; I think she was tired of tensing her muscles to hold me. This time she was just along for the ride! I felt it then, my balls started to tighten up and I felt the sweet sensation of an oncoming orgasm. I pounded faster, wanting to share this last one with her before I rested. Then her walls tightened around me again and I felt her drenching me from the inside just as she screamed "Eric! Eric!" Her voice had gotten very hoarse; she was tired. My balls nearly turned inside out, this one was so strong! Even after coming twice before I felt myself shoot jet after jet of my seed inside of her. Once again I roared out my pleasure, and as the climax gentled and the aftershocks began, I lowered myself down so that I was resting on my forearms so that I could kiss her gently.

"You have no idea what you do to me, Dearest Dina," I told her softly. "I don't remember being this happy – it's been a long time." I pulled off the blindfold so that she could look into my eyes to see that I was sincere.

"Oh, Eric! …You can be so sweet sometimes!" she said, smiling at me, tears in the corner of her eyes.

"Only for Dina, only for Dina," I said, kissing her again. "But let's not tell anyone, all right? It would ruin my reputation!" I winked. We both laughed, and then I removed the harness so that she could lie comfortably in the bed. I reached over to get the key from the nightstand, unlocked the handcuffs and spent a few minutes rubbing and kissing her wrists to take away the marks. "I want to exchange blood before we sleep," I told her. "We have not done that enough in recent days."

"OK, Eric," she agreed. "How do you want to do this?"

I turned her on her side, her head on my arm, and spooned up behind her, pulling the blankets up over both of us. I bit my other wrist and offered it to her, and as she took it and started to suck I bit her neck from behind. We lapped quietly at each other's blood for a few minutes. My dick got hard but it didn't rage for her like it normally did. I slid up between her thighs and she opened them for me, then she closed them as I rubbed up against her still wet pussy nestled between her sweet thighs. When my wrist wound sealed, I put my arm around her waist and kissed her behind her ear, my arm around her waist pulling her body back into me.

"Goodnight, Eric," I heard her say. I froze for a second. I didn't think I had heard her say that to me before, and I didn't remember the last time I had ever said it to anyone.

"Goodnight, Dina," I responded, nuzzling up into the space behind her neck. It felt good to say "goodnight" to someone who I knew would be there when I rose. We lay there quietly until I heard her breathing even out. The bond told me she was asleep, and it wasn't long at all before the sun would come up. I probably only had minutes. Making sure not to disturb her, I got out of bed, put the toys away, and hung something for her to wear in the bathroom. Then I put water in the flower vase I had brought home and set it on the nightstand on her side, putting one flower on the bed in front of her as she slept. I knew from experience that once My Dina went to sleep, she generally did not move. I wanted her to think of me and have a good day before I confronted her about Bobby. Her sweet nature would lead her to lie to me about how he had insulted, threatened, and grabbed her, and I would not be able to allow that to go unpunished. She had to learn to tell me the whole truth and let me make decisions based on it. This was also why I didn't tell her about the execution of the Fellowship prick. I didn't think she'd be accepting of torture. I'd read on her laptop an old paper she wrote about ending capital punishment. I shook my head. She was certainly something else.

Maybe I was wrong, and she would be okay with me dispensing justice – as was my right. Even better would be if she wanted me to punish Bobby and built a great case against him for me. But somehow I doubted it. With those thoughts in my head, I spooned up behind her again, put my nose back into the warm place behind her neck, and let the dawn take me.

**DINA POV**

I woke up to a lovely sight. I had one of my favorite flowers snuggled on the pillow with me and a vase with more on the nightstand. I grabbed the one from the bed and flipped over to see Eric resting. I noticed the smile on his face and I smiled too. "Thank you Eric," I said to him and kissed his cheek. I went to the bathroom and handled my business. I stood naked in front of the mirror and tried to get used to being naked. Eric was slowly conditioning me to do so. I brushed my hair and clipped the flower onto the side of my head. I didn't like it and tried it again. After a few tries I found a nice style with the Lily clipped into my hair. I decided to keep it out until closer to when Eric rose. I would gussy myself up before he rose.

I reached for my outfit. Today I had a royal purple, V-neck mini-dress. It came a few inches above my knees and the bottom was loose and flowy. The neckline plunged low. Very low. I thought I'd want to wear a lace tank top under this if I were to go out. I did my normal clothing test that I'm sure Eric did as well. Yep, easy to fit hands into the bodice. Easy to expose my breasts. And easy access since I had no underwear on.

I went and ate breakfast with the news on. I truly didn't have much time for TV and was forgetting the world as a result. It was weird to watch on such a large screen. It had to be at least six feet wide! Eric apparently needed a screen his size, or had his eyesight gotten bad in his old age? I giggled at that and vowed never to tell him that little joke. I grabbed my journal afterward and began to write about some of the things Eric and I hadn't discussed yet. Eric was good at rounding back to otherwise neglected things. I knew he'd question me about being embarrassed when he caused me pain and humiliated me and my only response was to become more aroused. I also knew he'd talk with me about our bond. And fearfully, I was sure he would bring up Bobby. I knew that Bobby wouldn't be able to stop himself from telling Eric some ridiculous lie about me because I hadn't been cowed by him or offered to have sex to keep whatever he imagined my great sin was quiet. I knew Eric would ask about it. I still had no idea what I'd say.

I couldn't have his blood on my hands. But I didn't relish in lying. Or being in trouble for it.

I didn't know what to write for the first few minutes. I simply wrote 'bond' in the middle of the page and began to list off bullet points and run-on sentences. I told him it felt so terrible and scary to know he could feel me. I wrote how it freaked me out to feel something and not know if it was him or me. I told him the jumbling of emotions, the way I couldn't always feel him, the way I always felt him after taking his blood, and the lack of privacy made me panic sometimes. I wrote about my anxiety and how this connection to him sometimes set me off. I also said I was grateful for our closeness and especially loved the times when the bond reflected our mutual attraction to each other and hummed with positive energy. I didn't want to sound like I was rejecting him.

I them wrote about my embarrassment. I talked about the mixed messages I experienced in my youth. I wasn't sex negative nor was I raised completely around ignorant chauvinists. But those ideals and views were still taught to me by some of the people in my young life. I was told that women had no sovereign sexuality, but acted only out of duty. I was also told that was ridiculous, but still that my own drive was abnormally high. I wanted more sex than most men I knew – most I dated. More than women too. I wasn't even a 'guy with boobs', I was a girl who loved sex more than boys did. I also remembered my girlfriends, my cousins, and other peers reacting with disgust when I expressed some of my desires.

I thought there was something wrong with me wanting more, not less, of the shame and pain Eric brought to me as he inspected me. I tried to go on about this, but honestly I still didn't have enough insight or grip on my feelings to write much.

After that I opened up the laptop and went to the sites Eric outlined for me. Today featured quite a bit of reading and few pictures. He had installed a great new program that allowed him to add his own comments and make questions for me to answer, plus gave me space to write my own comments. I could ask him my own questions, but I could only add them to my comments, not leave space for an expected answer and a deadline by which I expected one (as he had). I read and made comments that he would later review. I reviewed the comments he made as well. I was slowly learning more and more. I thought I'd impressed him with my little 'slave position' the night before. I was glad I did it right after reading about it. I ate a small lunch and read two more pages before going to the bathroom to groom myself for Eric.

I was going to look so good with that flower in my hair.

Once I looked perfect I went and sat in the living room. I left my journal on the table and waited.

I felt Eric wake up before I saw him. He came out of the room with his hair still tossed around from our amazing sex session the night before. He looked amazing. He sped over to me and was beside me before I could blink. "MMM…You look good enough to eat, Lover." He purred in my ear.

"Thank you." I softly kissed his lips. "I love my flowers."

"I thought you might. Did you have a good day?"

"Yes, I wrote in my journal for you and checked out some of those sites you left for me."

"Very good, but there is something we need to get out of the way….I received some texts from Bobby, regarding your stylist appointment. Is there anything you'd like to tell me?"

Wow, he didn't beat around the bush at all! I swallowed hard. It was now or never. "I don't really…get along with Bobby. We don't really see eye to eye."

"How so?"

"I think he views me…as low class and uneducated. I don't know what you told him about me, but I'd assume he knows more about my job at the bar than about my schooling."

"And based on this, what happened between the two of you?"

I thought carefully about how to phrase this. I couldn't lie – exactly. But I couldn't let Eric go all crazy Vampire Sheriff either. I was not scared of Bobby. I had the situation under control. "I felt his tone was rude and unprofessional. I responded with some dirty looks – you know I can't always help that – and my remarks to him weren't always nice. I tried very hard to watch my mouth like you've been teaching me."

I took a breath and looked at Eric. He was unmoving and his face was impassive. I couldn't get any ideas what he was feeling or thinking. "He's not required to like me and I don't think I'm required to like him. I can handle dealing with him when I go see Leila."

Eric Nodded. "So you believe he is rude and has a low opinion of you. You gave him some dirty looks and perhaps some sass, but he was disrespectful. You tried to control yourself. Is that all?"

"That's about it. The finer points." I wasn't lying. I might have been over doing it though. I hoped he didn't see through me.

"And Bobby grabbing your arm and threatening you? His implications that I will hurt you? Are those not 'finer points"?" Eric's voice was harsh and I trembled. I was in for it this time. There was no way he would be lenient with me.

"I-I.." I didn't know what to say.

"You? You lied. You withheld from me. You've been disobedient. You've been disrespectful of my abilities by assuming I wouldn't know what happens to you at all times."

"I'm sorry."

"That won't cut it. You know that. Now would you like to explain why you did this?"

I swallowed and tried to compose myself. "I don't want you to do something violent on my behalf."

"I am the one in charge here. I decide what happens and you adhere to that." He said firmly.

"I don't like this." I was on the verge of getting loud and snippy.

"No one likes being punished. That's the point."

"I don't like people getting hurt because of things I've said. You can't say I have no agency. I know what my words to you will do and I am responsible for your actions – your reactions – because of that." My voice was shaking. I was going to cry. It was the fear, the anger, and my need to control myself (when I rarely practiced this self control) building up.

"Who is the Master here?"

"Eric-" I went to argue.

"Answer me."

"You."

"Who is the sheriff of Area 5?"

"You."

"Who is over 1000 years old? Who has lifetimes of experience?"

"You."

"Good. Now trust my expertise and trust that you granted me the right to make these choices. I will hand down punishment. This isn't about what you do or don't tell me. I knew about this before we spoke. Your job is to be honest and always submit to me. My job is to dominate and care for you."

I swallowed past the lump in my throat. I refused to cry. I still felt responsible. I felt guilty for lying. I was afraid of being punished.

"Dina, the world is violent. Bobby is apparently, violent and aggressive enough to threaten you, despite you being Bonded to me. You have met with humans violent enough to attack you for being with me. I am not gentle. But my violence is reserved for those who deserve it. This is how life is. My world in particular is cruel and violent. We have to work with it to survive. Do you understand?"

I nodded, if I were to speak I think my voice would crack. "Look at me." My eyes caught his. "Do not feel guilty. You never had a say in what would happen to Bobby for his crimes. Now, do you understand why I'm going to punish you?"

"Yes." My voice was just above a whisper.

"Anything to say before we begin?"

"No, I'm sorry."

"I know. We will make sure you don't do this again. Now go to the bathroom, see to your needs. I want you fully naked with your hair tied back. Keep the pony tail low and come back to the living room. Come here, I'm going to show you where you will be waiting for me."

He took my hand and led me to the center of the room. "Kneel. Spread your knees further. Hands behind your back and head down. Are you familiar with this position?"

"Yes."

"Good. You will be like this when I get back. I suggest you hurry and do not make another sound until I tell you to do so. GO." He ordered me.

I stood quickly and moved to the bathroom, hearing him open the door to the house above and start up the stairs. I took my beautiful flower out. I paused for a moment. This was my relationship with Eric. He brought me flowers one night and if I misbehaved, he had me strip and punished me. I couldn't be the least bit angry with him. I had done this. I think I hated it most that he explained everything to me and let me have time to talk. It proved that I was in the wrong. I started to set the flower on the counter top, but Eric had proved that I didn't deserve it. I threw it in the trash, turned, and headed back out to face the music.

I was trembling and started to coach myself to be calm. I went to the center of the room and got in position. It seemed like hours, waiting for him. I knew everything here was sound proof, but I still tried to listen for him coming back downstairs. I raised my head, very slowly, as though I thought he'd catch me out of position to look at the clock. It had only been 7 minutes. I couldn't seem to sit still. I was fidgeting with nervous energy. I finally saw the door handle move and dropped my head quickly. My breathing was still ragged.

He placed a wooden chest near my knees. I stared at it. I knew whatever he was going to use to punish me with was in it. I wondered if I was going to be whipped. Would I soon have first hand experience about what a cane or crop felt like? I didn't know if I wanted more time – if I didn't want to be punished right now. Or if I just wanted to know what would happen to me and get it over with.

Eric didn't say a word as he walked around me into our bedroom. I knelt there, still looking at that box. I shivered once or twice, but otherwise didn't move. It took all my self control to not cry, not make a sound, and keep my head down. I wanted to know what he was doing. I reminded myself to not lift my head until he told me to – even if he spoke to me.

He came in front of me – I saw his feet. I took a breath and forgot to release it right away.

"Lets start you off with some cuffs since you have a history of not being able to control your hands."

He moved behind me and I felt him grasp my wrist. I flinched, but didn't jerk away. I knew he wouldn't hurt me, but my nerves were high. I felt the cuffs go on each wrist. I'd been bound like this before, but this time I really hated it. He came back in front of me.

"You are being punished for lying to me. You are being punished for not telling me you were touched and threatened. You are being punished for planning to put yourself back in danger, without my knowledge. You are being punished for not trusting me. You are being punished for not respecting my authority. Nod your head if you understand."

I nodded.

"I do not have a use to hear any words from you right now. You chose to lie to me, so I've decided some quiet is in order." He knelt know in front of me. I didn't lift my head, God help me, I didn't. "I'm going to gag you now. Lift your head."

I finally lifted my head and saw his was lowered as he rummaged through the chest. I was not prepared for the site of the gag. It had belts and buckles that looked like they would go around my whole head. There was a large rubber looking center piece I assumed would somehow go in my mouth, and there was a leather piece that looked like it would wrap halfway around my head. On the outside of the leather piece was a nozzle of some kind. I let out a little noise of fear. Eric ignored me.

"Open. Fighting will make your punishment worse. Do not test me on this." He held the thing up in front of my face.

I believed him and managed to do what he wanted. He slid the rubber into my mouth and it slid right in between my teeth and cheeks. The leather outside covered and pushed in on my cheeks. It felt very confining, and he hadn't even started to do up any of the buckles. "Close your mouth all the way." He commanded, his voice betraying no emotion.

I did as he said. He began to do up the buckles. He pulled a strap over my face. It pronged and went around my nose, between my eyes. I could breathe out of my nose with no obstruction. He connected the strap from over my face to the back of my head. I felt a weight in the middle and realized there was ring attached to the gag on my head. I knew why he wanted my hair in a low pony now. Next, came the sides of my head and the back of my neck. He pushed my head in the direction he wanted it to go. The harness around my head was very tight and uncomfortable, but I knew I could breathe. He then fastened the gag around my chin. I could neither open my mouth to escape the uncomfortable piece inside nor move my jaw at all. I looked straight ahead and he felt around my head to make sure everything was secure. He decided it was too loose, I guess, because I felt him tighten both the strap around the top of my head and the ones around both sides. My eyes began to water from the uncomfortable pressure and weight of the thing. They had to be puffy, but at least I wasn't crying.

"Breathe out of your nose," he said abruptly. "You are going to have some time to think about your actions and their consequences. You won't need your hands or arms for that."

I didn't know what that meant. My eyes searched the room desperately. What was he going to do? The chest was turned away from me and I couldn't see inside of it. Eric moved to pull out something else. It looked like a rubber bag. As he began to straighten it out, I realized I had seen something like this before. It was called an arm binder, I thought. I could make very little noise with the gag this time. He went behind me and my head snaked around. He pushed me down to the floor and pulled my legs under his. He undid the cuffs, but I didn't get long to enjoy the freedom. He straddled my hips as he began to slide the binder up my arms. Then he turned around and put cuffs on my ankles with a very short chain between them. He pulled me up onto my feet, facing away from him. My legs were between his and that was the only reason I was able to balance. The unnatural close proximity of my feet to each other made it hard to stand up. The binders were worked up around my shoulders. When he let go of them, my arms were forced straight, the binder narrowing until it was snug around my wrists, and there was no opening! My fingers and thumbs were forced together inside what felt like a big mitten! I also felt something weighing my arms down, like there was something extra hanging down beyond or behind the binder. Eric moved in front of me once more. I didn't know if it was my fear, but his movements seemed slower kind of like when you're about to get into a car accident and you see the car coming before it hits you, and it seems to be in slow motion. Maybe it was both. I looked down and saw two straps hanging and knew I was about to be done up again. Eric grabbed my chin and forced my head up, pointing at his eyes, so I tried to keep my eyes on his as he continued his work. My arms didn't feel like they were pulled very tight behind me, surprisingly. He did the buckles around my shoulders and I cringed. They had the bad effect of pushing in on my breasts; it now felt like they were completely supporting my arms behind me. He put his hand on the back of my head.

"Down."

I was pushed back into laying flat on my belly. That really made my breasts feel worse. He went back to straddling me. I turned my face to the side and kept breathing. I felt him pull something over my arms and begin to tighten. Now I remembered; these things had two panels that pulled in and were laced up! That was the extra weight I had felt hanging from my arms, and why they had felt so loose. He made them tight enough that my elbows were forced painfully close together and I moaned around my gag. He finally finished and pulled me up into a sitting position.

"Keep breathing." He said as he went back to the chest. He pulled out a thick blindfold. My eyes widened. I didn't want to be blinded. I had told him last night that I was afraid of this! I shook my head and jerked away when he came close enough to try and put it on. I was rewarded with him grabbing my D-ring and pulling us nose-to-nose.

"What did I say about resisting and pulling away? You just increased your punishment. Now hold still!"

I felt a tear well up in my eye and stilled. If he saw it, it didn't move him at all. My eyes were soon covered. The lining of the blindfold was soft, but I knew it would also keep out any light. I couldn't enjoy this comfort. He fastened it tight enough that the soft pads forced my eyes to close. Once the blindfold was on, he moved away from me and I sat there. I could hear the sound of my heart and breathing. It was like a bass drum. I knelt there, wondering what was coming next and how my punishment would be increased. I heard Eric's voice above me. He was standing.

"Right now you can't speak or see. You can breathe. You will breathe through your nose. I will not release you for anything less than an emergency. If you have a panic attack- Yes I know you have them – I will not release you. You will learn to calm yourself. If you think to increase your distress so I release you, know this: your punishment will not end. You will learn there are hundreds of ways to discipline and punish and I know them all….Dina, have we have discussed my reputation?"

Knowing he expected an answer, I shook my head. "Well, there is reason I am feared by most who know me. I do not show mercy when a wrong is done. You need punishment. This behavior needs to end and end quickly, so I will be very hard on you. One day, we will encounter other Vampires. We will be with enemies and those with no loyalty to us. I will not see either of us harmed because you misbehaved. Nod if you understand."

I nodded.

"Right now you have a few rings – on your throat, head, end of your hands – and they will be used to immobilize your body. You tried to immobilize me in defending you. I know why you did what you did, but you were wrong. In trying to prevent Bobby's death, you earned yourself punishment. We both know he wouldn't do anything to aid you; instead he threatened you. If you had told me the truth there would have been no punishment for you. What you did, did not change what will happen to Bobby. You did this for nothing. There is no reason for you to be suffering this punishment now, except for your lack of trust in me, your attempt to save someone unworthy of your efforts, and your plan to put yourself back in danger when I would have had him escort you to more appointments. ... I want you to think about that. We are moving on to the final part of readying you for punishment, are you ready?"

I slowly nodded. I wanted to get this done with.

"Good." I felt him move closer to me. He began to move and tuck on my gag. My head went with him. Next I heard something bring attached to my face. Suddenly, I heard a noise and the gag began to get tighter-from the inside. Oh god, there was some kind of a balloon inside attached to the gag, and he was pumping it up! It got tighter and larger in my mouth. I thought I was going to choke! I felt it becoming harder and harder to breathe. I hoped he didn't cut off my air – even by accident.

It stopped. I felt the intense pressure in my mouth, but I could breathe. I couldn't make one sound. Nothing. I tried. Even when I engaged my vocal cords, no sound at all was able to make it to the outside. I heard him doing something with the gag. I assumed he was clamping it shut and removing the pump.

"Now I'm going to put plugs in your ears. Do not fight. I want there to be no distractions while you think about your actions and make sure you never have to be punished for this infraction again."

The fear rose in my whole body. I was blind, silenced, and would now be deafened. I couldn't move my hands or arms and couldn't walk. I had never felt more helpless in my life! He tilted my head and pressed in the foam plug. I only had one good ear left. He tilted my head to the other side and everything went quiet soon after. I told myself over and over that I trusted Eric. I did. He would never let any harm come to me. But if the house caught on fire or somebody broke in I couldn't even hear it! But Eric was here. I trusted Eric. But what if somebody came that was stronger than Eric?

There was nobody stronger than Eric. I could feel myself starting to panic and normally I would have been whimpering by now. My throat was going through the motions but there was no sound. I could not cry! If I cried, my nose would become clogged. I had to calm down. I had to calm down! T

he more I tried to talk sense into myself the more I could feel the panic rising. Oh no! I could feel my stomach starting to convulse! If I vomited I would choke to death! My breath came in tiny, frightened pants and I could feel my body shaking. Then a miracle happened. The most wonderful feeling of calm forced itself into my brain. After a second I knew it for what it was. It was Eric. I was pulled into his lap and back against his chest. His hands came around to rest on my chest. He was breathing! He didn't need to. But he had done this for me before, most notably the night I was almost raped. He had held me and breathed, and my breathing had evened out to match his.

Oh no! He must be so angry with me now! I had been ordered not to get worked up and that was the first thing I had done! What would he do now? I did not know if whipping me was part of his plan, but I was sure it had to be now. He would wait until I was sufficiently calm and would knock me into the middle of next week! But he had never hit me before… I forced that out of my head and concentrated on feeling his body breathing behind me and soon I was calm. I was grateful to Eric but couldn't tell him, so I tried to send it through the bond. Then he stood up and I was unceremoniously lifted to my feet.

Next thing I knew I was being hoisted over his shoulder. I was so scared and my screams were silent. All that effort to calm me and now I was afraid again. He would be so disgusted with me! I felt him walking and wondered where we were going. God, why was I so stupid? I had to not lie like this again or at least pick my battles. I was suffering for Bobby's sake – well actually, I tried to save him, but Eric had made it clear this was in vain. Bobby was going to die. At this very moment, I honestly couldn't say I was unhappy about that.

I don't know where we went and I fought crying – it was hard enough to breathe already. The only thing I knew was that I was lowered on to a cement floor and leaned back against something. I felt him remove the cuffs from my ankles and then I was brought gently to my knees. Eric helped me back up and I felt a hard surface behind me. After a moment of twisting, I realized Eric was about to chain me to a pole.

**ERIC POV**

I set her down on her feet and removed her shackles. I had only put them on her because I thought she would try to run from me and didn't want to have to further increase her punishment. Then I helped her to her knees. I'd thought about putting down some rice or sand to give her pain in her knees and shins while she was punished, but that would have caused a lot of pain after just a few minutes of being unable to move. I wanted her to be able to think about what she'd done and why she couldn't do it again. If I gave her pain to deal with, that would be all she could think about and this little "time-out" would be useless. I was putting her through a lot and didn't relish the possibility of having to repeat it.

Gods, she was terrified! I had told myself that I wouldn't help her, but when she'd started to panic out in the other room I couldn't let her stay that way. When I'd seen her stomach start to contract I'd thought of the possibility of her vomiting. Since I had so thoroughly closed and stuffed her mouth, if she vomited it would have nowhere to go but out through her nose. She would die if I couldn't get the gag off of her fast enough! So I'd taken a few minutes to use my power to compel her as my bonded. This was different than just sending feelings. This was controlling her mind, something I normally would never do to her. But it had been an emergency, as far as I was concerned. I hoped she wouldn't become that frightened again.

But now the smell of her fear and the sight of her naked and bound so restrictively made my fangs uncontrollable; I couldn't retract them no matter what I tried. My cock was aching to throw her down and fuck her hard. I had clamped down my side of the bond the instant I'd set the chest down next to her. I had a touch of the sadist inside of me and part of me enjoyed what I was doing and was turned on by it. I found great satisfaction in exercising an effective punishment, as I believed this would be. I was treating her harshly for a reason. My world was nothing like the human world. Such a thing as she had done might get us killed if we were somewhere involved with Vampires. I had to have full information to be able to act logically and correctly in a given situation. She had to learn to tell me the whole truth in all situations and not try to save others from me. I was hurt by her lack of trust in me to do the right thing. Didn't she understand that I would tear the world down from one side to the other to protect her? Maybe she understood it a little too well. By trying to save the unworthy worm Burnham from my wrath, she'd turned it upon herself. For what? I was still going to kill him. There was no reason for this to have happened. I hoped I had repeated this enough times for it to sink in for her. We had only been together such a short time. This was her first truly harsh punishment from me. I was sure there would be more in the future. With any luck, this would be the last time she was punished for lying. I was hoping to have one punishment per infraction and for the behavior to be eradicated after that. I wondered if I was being too ambitious in this.

As the cruel and heartless Vampire I was known to be, I should only feel pleasure doing this, but this was my Dina. I also felt a great sorrow and remorse in what I was doing. I knew this was scaring her. I think her 'psychological punishment' was also one for me too. I think her more physical punishments would be easier. I'd heal her with my blood and it would be done with. I felt that I was right, but wasn't glad to be right. I could not let her feel any of these feelings from me. I would have to reconcile myself quickly with this entire episode before I reopened the bond and let her feel from me again.

I backed her up against the pole that I'd had installed mostly for pleasure, but punishment was also a necessity sometimes. She didn't know about this room and I'd deliberately hidden its location to heighten the sense of isolation. It was part of a larger room filled with all sorts of gear that we could enjoy together at later times. I guess, in terms of this punishment, it was good that I hadn't had the chance to show her the room yet. She didn't know where she was or where I was going. She also didn't know that I had a camera installed in this room. I would train it on her - not to act the terrible voyeur and gloat over her discomfort. If I felt panic or anything else serious through the bond I needed to have eyes on her so that I could get here quickly in case there was an emergency. I would not save her from her own fears, but I would not allow her to choke to death or any of the other unlikely things that could happen. I would have my tablet with me, the browser tuned in to my digital security program, to this one camera. She thought she was alone, but she wasn't completely.

This was a square pole with many hanging rings at short intervals to allow me to bind her in any way I wished. I had to fuss with the armbinder for a minute, trying to decide which ring to attach it to – there were two in close proximity. I chose the one I thought would allow the least amount of movement and attached a plastic zip-tie between the two. The zip-ties were industrial strength – she couldn't break them – and I used them because they could be adjusted to whatever size I wanted. They were also inexpensive and I had purchased them in large quantities due to the number of (human – Vampires could break these) idiots I had to detain monthly, let alone yearly. I did not count Dina to be among the idiots; she was just unlucky enough that they were convenient for me to use on her too. I had one more accessory to add to this little ensemble – the same posture collar that I had used in yesterday's inspection. It wasn't very tall and so it wouldn't cut off her airway, but it would allow me to attach her by the neck to the pole. I fitted it around her neck and fastened it fairly loosely. She reacted as I thought she would, jumping and turning her head to try to stop me. I smacked her exposed breast with enough force to give her the message, but not to really hurt. She stilled immediately, her posture similar to that of a frightened animal. I couldn't have that! I wanted her to obey me, not fear me. I put my hand on her chest and my forehead against hers so she could feel my breath, and breathed in and out slowly and evenly with her, similar to what I had done in the other room. After a few seconds she caught on and breathed with me, so I grasped the sides of her face and stroked her skin above where the blindfold was to show her my approval. I would do everything I could to prevent her panic since I had so strongly cautioned her against it. If she panicked enough, I would release her but the bindings would stay on and I would find another way to punish her that would be worse that what I was doing now. I hadn't been lying about the number of ways I knew how to punish. I hoped she wouldn't panic. I attached another tie to the back D-ring of the collar and to the closest ring, so that it wasn't pulling back against her throat and wouldn't unless she tried to pull forward. Next I went to the ring on top of the head harness and attached more ties tightly between it and three different rings, preventing movement in any direction. I had some leather straps with me as well. I attached one to the ring on one side of the head harness and wrapped it around the pole, attaching it to the ring on the other side and adjusting the length to pull it tightly.

I moved behind her and attached a short spreader bar between her ankles with unpadded leather cuffs. The spreader bar was weighted so she could not bend her knees to lift her feet or drag it around. I moved back in front of her. She was already attached to the pole at several points, but she still had some freedom of movement that I wanted to restrict. I took two wide leather straps and wrapped them around her thighs, pinning them tightly to the pole. They, along with the weight of the spreader bar, immobilized her legs. I continued up her body with the straps, putting them over her hips, stomach, ribs, and shoulders, leaving her breasts alone since the armbinder was already wrapping them so tightly. I leaned down and removed one of the earplugs.

"Dina, I want you to test your bindings. Can you move?" I asked, keeping my voice firm. I watched her struggle for a few seconds and said, "Thank you. That was what I needed. I am going out. I will be back before dawn." I replaced the earplug and made a few adjustments in places where I'd been too lax. Then I stopped, and I stood there for several minutes. It was only natural that when she thought she was alone she would test the bonds again, and she did. I could see her struggling and trying to move something, somewhere. Apart from being able to wiggle her toes and her feet a bit, she was immobilized to my satisfaction. I would leave her feet alone. She would find out that if she moved them around too much, she would scrape and bruise them and add pain to her punishment. After a few more minutes I watched as she tried in vain to lift one, then the other of her knees from the ground to give them some relief from the hard concrete. She was completely unable to shift her weight as she was trying to do. Now satisfied with my efforts, I turned to leave, stopping to do one final thing. The room was equipped with its own heating and cooling system. I did not want her to fall asleep and so I wanted her in some discomfort. I turned the temperature down to 55 degrees and left, closing the door behind me but not locking it.

I went to my office where one set of central controls for the household cameras were, both upstairs and downstairs. I turned the camera toward her and adjusted the zoom so that I could see her clearly. Her breasts were heaving as she struggled to control her fear. She thought I had left the house because of what I had told her. I could only imagine what was going through her mind. My fangs, which I had finally been able to retract, snapped down again and I was immediately hard. "Eric, control yourself!" I growled, frustrated. I was punishing her. I should not want to fuck her, bend her over a chair and take her in the ass with clamps on those nipples…..

"God Dammit!" I cursed. I was imagining all kinds of wild things I could do with her helpless like that, ways I could pleasure her that she would never expect. That would have to wait for another day. Tonight would be about healing and calming her, talking if she wanted to. It would be a quiet night for us.

I made sure that my tablet had its secure connection running strong, tuned the browser to the appropriate camera, and left the office. On my way out of the lair, I decided to go into the bathroom and retrieve the dress I'd given her to put on that day. I was going to replace it with something more comfortable for her, less revealing so that hopefully I could keep my mind off of sex. I had ordered her to hurry back to the living room, but she had still taken good care of the dress and hung it back on the hanger. This made me feel proud of her. She was not ungrateful and entitled like Burnham said she was. She valued very highly the things I gave to her. I glanced around looking for the flower she'd worn in her hair and didn't see it. I wondered if it had fallen on the floor behind something so I went over to investigate around the commode. Then I saw it. She had thrown it in the trash, probably believing herself unworthy after my harsh words. Remorse flooded my body and I was unhappy. I should not feel remorse for punishing her, but I did. Not because I thought I was wrong, but because I cared about her. I bent and retrieved the flower. When her punishment was ended I would put it back in its rightful place and make sure that I repaired any damage I had done to her self esteem. She had made a mistake. She wasn't stupid or unworthy of her position in my life.

I hung the dress back where I had gotten it earlier and got out something I had purchased for the time when she bled. It was a little pajama set. It had a sweetheart neckline, mid-length puffed sleeves, a high elastic waist, and was made of soft, heavy cotton. It flared out in a cute and feminine way and came to just past her hips. (Blame Pam for the fact that I knew what a sweetheart neckline was.) With it was a little pair of what I believed they called boy-shorts. I had told her I would not allow her to wear anything that would restrict my access to her but I had relented. Pam had told me how uncomfortable a woman's time was for them, sometimes painful. She still remembered the pain of hers, and she remembered nothing else about being human! So, I would allow My Dina any comfort she needed during those times, as long as I got to taste what came out of her. I hoped she liked the cute little outfit, which was a soft lavender trimmed with lace just a shade darker in a few strategic places. I quickly took this little outfit back to the bathroom to wait for my girl to put it on.

I had already left Dina for close to 20 minutes and didn't want to leave her in there all night, so I quickly headed for the door and left the lair. I wasn't going far. I was going upstairs, to go through her things and decide what she would be keeping, and what we would be donating to charity (she'd like that) or throwing out. I needed something to get my mind off of her body. This, hopefully, would do the trick. As I climbed the stairs, I left all the doors open and unlocked. Normally I would not do this, but if she got in life threatening trouble I did not want to have to wait for security to unlock while trying to get to her. I had scanned the outer perimeter thoroughly before leaving my office. As I went upstairs and opened the first box, my fangs finally retracted and I became engrossed in the details of her previous life.


	21. Reconciliation with EPOV

**NOTE: This story has alternating POVs. in an attempt to make things easier and not have** it switch 50 times, Eric gives his views and then Dina gives hers of the same events. We hope there is no confusion.

as always: most of these characters are not mine, there are adult themes and most are graphic, and this is only fiction. I think I've explained in other chapters the differences between vampire/human D/s relationships and human/human ones - so please don't use this an at home guide.

This chapter features a punishment.

There might be content some readers feel uncomfortable with. **read at your own risk.**

**and please read and review **(reviews keep stories moving...)

* * *

DINA POV

Inhale… Exhale… Inhale… Exhale… "Breathe!" I told myself. "Breathe! Concentrate! In… Out… In… Out…" I said these words over and over to myself even though my mouth could not move to form the words and the sounds produced by my vocal cords never got past the back of my throat. I had started to shiver almost immediately after Eric had left me and I hadn't stopped. It was so dark, and I was so cold!

I had been chained to this pole for hours. I knew he'd be back before dawn – he said he would. But the more time went on – not that I could really tell, with this blindfold on – the more fearful I became. What if I had to use the bathroom and couldn't control myself? What if dawn had come and gone? What if he went to rest and left me? What if he planned to keep me like this until tomorrow? I had lied to him; lying to me might teach a fair lesson.

"Oh no; not again!" I screamed silently as for the umpteenth time my left thigh threatened to cramp.

Just like every other time it happened, I tried unsuccessfully to shift my weight or move my leg to bring it some relief. But of course I couldn't. I quit doing that. I didn't even wiggle my toes. Even my head couldn't move between the posture collar and whatever Eric has used to fasten my harness to the pole. I learned not to resist. I had no idea what part of my punishment was an add on, but I was sure I should have just let him bind and gag me upstairs. And the way my breast stung made me wish I could have let him put the posture collar on me without fighting him.

Now I knew why Eric was so widely feared by human and Vampire alike. He did things thoroughly, with results as close to perfection as possible. Once he had you, he made sure he kept you. You stayed exactly where he put you, thinking and feeling the exact things he wanted you to think and feel. Or at least that was how it was in my case.

He said I tried to immobilize him when I didn't tell him what Bobby had done to me. So he was immobilizing me to think about it. And I was, absolutely immobilized. I could move my feet a little bit but now they hurt from my dragging the toes around on the hard concrete floor. I couldn't move my fingers because of the thick padding in the mitten holding both of my hands captive at the bottom of the arm binder. I couldn't open my eyes because of the blindfold's padding. I couldn't turn my head. I couldn't open my mouth or move my jaw from side to side.

I knew that I betrayed his trust. I did put myself in danger – and probably others by not getting bobby away from who ever Eric sent him to see. Leila spoke so gently. I didn't think she could fight off that leech. And maybe…maybe I was overestimating my plan to beat him up if he touched me.

I should not have tried to stop him from protecting me. I was grateful for his protection but I couldn't have it only when I thought it suited me. It was an all-or-nothing deal. I couldn't wait to tell Eric how I had finally realized this, whenever it was that he would finally want to hear my voice again.

When he came to get me I would be here, just exactly where he put me. At least he wasn't going to kill me. The fear his enemies must feel when he has them and they know they can't escape, and that he will be coming for them! Did Bobby know what was going to happen to him? Had Eric already locked him up somewhere to think about what he had done to me before Eric killed him? So help me, I was not going to ask. Eric was angry enough at me without me showing concern for the man who had caused this problem in the first place. It was none of my business. I had learned my lesson.

Eric was everything to me, the best thing that had ever happened to me, and I was not about to risk what I had with him over that slimy little weasel any more than I already had. But would Eric forgive me? How long would I have to pay before we could put this behind us? He had explained why he was being so harsh with me. While I didn't necessarily agree with his methods, they were his methods and I would accept them as I had accepted everything else about him.

I had agreed to this Dominant/submissive relationship never dreaming that something like this could happen. I had never had ropes, chains, or straps put on me before, even jokingly, and now I seemed to wear them as often as I wore clothes, if not more so. Had it truly been less than two weeks ago that those troublemaking Vampires had come into Merlotte's?

Now that I'd had time to think about it, Eric had accepted the situation and claimed me as actually his far more easily than normal from someone like him. He should have reacted with anger at my presumptuousness, but instead it was like Christmas had come early for him. Could it be that our relationship was something he actually wanted before that fateful night? If so, why hadn't he approached me? He knew I was attracted to him; either that or he was blind. It hadn't taken me only a week to fall in love with Eric Northman. That had happened a long time ago from the little bit of time that I'd spent around him. Had I been that transparent?

I was sure the clock was ticking away. It was hard to think after a while. I fought to keep my panic at bay – I kinda had to. Eric probably went to the bar; that's why he'd been out for so long. I'd been keeping him busy. This was a great time for him to go handle his area and his business. I was stiff. I was sore. I was so cold. I just wanted this to be over. I was sure I was sorry and wouldn't do it again. I had times to think about this and even wonder about Eric's initial reaction to being with me. My brain hurt from thinking and my body hurt from being bound. There was no escape from the discomfort.

A few times tonight I had succumbed to what I now called "the power shakes," and each time it happened I hoped it was the last. My heart leaped into my throat and started to pound loudly, goose bumps raised on my skin and my breathing became shallow. "In… Out… In… Out…" I had to concentrate to breathe. How long had Eric been gone? It had to be hours by now! What if dawn had come and gone? What if he had left me here for the day? How would I know if it was day? What if I had to use the bathroom and couldn't control myself? "Inhale! Exhale! Inhale! Exhale! Concentrate!" I was again warding off a full-scale panic attack!

ERIC POV

I was going through what felt like hundreds of pairs of shoes to see if any were of quality before arbitrarily throwing them all out, when I felt it again. Dina was starting to panic again, for the sixth time. I stopped what I was doing and grabbed up the tablet, quickly zooming in on her face and chest. Her chest was moving in and out rapidly; she was breathing hard! My first instinct was to run to her but I stifled that urge.

She was being punished. I had to give her time to think about what she had done and why she could not do it again. I had to give her enough time to reason it all out. But she had been staving off panic attacks almost since the first moment I had arrived upstairs and opened the first box. I was very proud of her!

She had stopped the previous ones. I hoped she would be able to stop this one too. As a precaution I moved toward the hidden entrance to the lair. I would be at her side in less than a second if things got serious. Her shaking and chest heaving did not stop right away. I could see the muscles of her neck and shoulders straining against my restraints to gain some freedom, but she would not succeed. I had too much practice in binding people. If I did not want you to move, you would not move, and she was not moving.

I decided I didn't like the way she was straining and struggling. I would intervene, but not by rescuing her. Yes, I had said I would become angry if she got herself worked up, but the bond would have told me if she was up to any trickery. I used my mind to compel her again, hoping that she would not realize it was me. I was as subtle as I could be sending my soothing touch to her mind, just as she reached out to me.

DINA POV

It was getting out of control and I could feel my stomach start to convulse. I had to stop this from going any farther! More punishment be damned! I wanted to be alive to take it! I needed Eric! My heart drummed louder than a hundred marching bands playing all at once and I hoped I could reach past the chaos.

Eric! Eric! Help me! Please! These were not words but feelings.

I was conceding defeat. I needed him. I hoped he would answer.

The clamor was starting to worsen! Now a thousand bass speakers added their pulsing to the mix. It rose higher and higher, a crescendo of crashing elephants running through the jungle, running into tall trees but leaving nothing but twigs and splinters in their wake.

But then, like the call of Tarzan in one of those movies, I "heard" him answer me. As it had earlier tonight when he had come to my aid, it felt like a miracle. It had to be him. It came from the outside and was strong enough to cut off the panic attack at the pass. It took several minutes for my breathing to become normal again but it felt like he was there again with his hand on my chest.

"In, out, in, out…" I hoped he wasn't too angry with me.

In only a matter of minutes I was back to being cold, trying in vain to pick up one or the other of my bruised knees off of the floor. Had he forgotten to pay the electric bill, or had he turned the temperature in the room way down to keep me awake? I was tired, but the temperature would not allow me to relax my muscles enough to make sleep possible. I continued to pine for Eric, hoping he would come soon.

I had seen the error of my ways. I would never again try to tell Eric half truths to try to manipulate a situation and keep him from acting. He considered that a lie, and if sitting here in the dark wearing the world's most uncomfortable gag had taught me anything, it was never to lie to Eric.

He would know anyway if I tried; we had our bond between us. But I didn't plan to try. I respected him enough to understand now the position lying or telling half truths could put him in. He deserved better. I wondered if he would cast me out. Maybe this time away from me had caused him to reconsider our situation. What if he was right now packing what little belongings I still had, and preparing to put me out on the street? It was only a matter of time before he realized he could have anyone and I couldn't even be honest with him or behave as his submissive. This thought threatened to start another panic attack in me.

ERIC POV

Dina's belongings were proving to be quite mundane for the most part. It saddened me to see how obviously poor she was. She had quite a lot of jewelry, if you could call it that. None of it was any quality at all. There were a lot of plastic and beaded items that I would not have thought suitable for a grown woman, and she seemed to have an affinity for peace signs. There were some clay pieces that were rainbow colored. All of the chains and other metal pieces were cheap nickel plated with silver or gold. The silver items weren't even silver enough to react with my skin!

There were a couple of items that appealed to me, and I set them aside in a wooden jewelry box I had found with wolves on the lid. I wasn't surprised. I had seen a shirt with wolves on it as well. I also knew from her pictures she had dogs before. Dogs she must have loved very much. I had a feeling she'd want to keep this box. The carving, including the one cut out wolf that made it '3D', reminded me of something I might have made long ago in my human days. Of course, I didn't have the great paints modern humans did or machines to put prints on wood, but it was obviously skillfully crafted and real wood.

She had a bracelet made of faux leather, white with a red stitching pattern. It had a blue square with a red "C" in the middle, and closed with a toggle of a little baseball and a loop. I knew she was originally from Chicago and I recognized that this might mean something to her. One necklace consisted of a rainbow with metal rings attached, a 3-layered charm with more plated silver and slivers of actual turquoise, and a tiny heart. This seemed quaint to me and reminded me of her. I would see if I could reproduce the piece in real materials. Tucked away in a tiny velvet bag I found a gold cross. This surprisingly was real 24K gold, and the way she had it separated from everything else led me to believe that it might have a deeper meaning.

It is a myth that crosses repel or burn Vampires. We propagated that lie many centuries ago to scare humans. It was a joke to us that they believed their emblems could protect them from us. But also, if one of us happened to be caught and questioned, the fact that we could touch a cross without injury would fool them into letting us go.

I put the rest of Dina's jewelry in the charity pile. I thought a human child might enjoy some of it. I had been going back and forth between her clothes and other things, because she had so many clothes. But like her jewelry, none of her clothing was of good quality. I had found the two pairs of black slacks I had purchased for her to work in, and I kept those. She would not work in them again but I could see no reason not to keep good clothing around. This time I found something rather interesting. It was a pair of jeans that I didn't think I had ever seen her wear (and I had observed her from a distance on quite a few occasions without her knowledge). These were ripped and the knees were grass-stained. This spoke to me of some sentimentality surrounding them. My Dina wore her heart on her sleeve sometimes and this didn't surprise me at all. I carefully bagged them in clear plastic and set them in the "to be discussed" pile.

I found yet another box of shoes and opened it, and these were interesting. I found a pair of pumps that had to be 5" high. They were clear and had a switch just in front of the heel. When I flipped the switch, little LED lights blinked on, around the edges of the sole, around the back and down the heel! I was very intrigued as to why my Dina had these and where she had gotten them. I would definitely be asking her to model them for me. Unfortunately, they were of cheap quality just like her other shoes. The only other shoes I considered worth keeping were a pair of brand new "New Balance" walking shoes. They had the new curved soles for tightening up the legs. My Dina didn't need any help where her legs were concerned but these were probably very comfortable. She could wear them when we went on outings like to the grocery store. There were better brands, but I was comfortable with this one. I set aside the rest of her shoes for charity.

Another interesting box I found contained her lingerie – if you could call it that. My girl was definitely the "comfort-over-style" type when it came to what she slept in I had to dig to find a single trace of silk or lace anywhere. And the only ones I found were rainbow, leopard print, or had peace signs on them. Maybe my human had an obsession. Instead I found an overabundance of plain cotton panties and lots of boyshorts. I actually liked boyshorts, but I preferred the fancier ones. Of course, I would rarely allow her any type of panties when in my presence. I wanted to be able to lay her back and just push into her whenever I got the urge, and that was quite often. She certainly hadn't objected so far!

Her entire collection went into the trash pile. Her oversized T-shirt collection went to the charity pile. She did, however, have some very enticing-looking bras. With breasts like hers, I could understand why she would want to showcase them. I liked a woman's breasts wrapped up in a pretty package, so I went through them and chose the ones I liked for her to model for me. Then one stopped me cold... I actually couldn't figure out what it was at first. It had the straps to go over the shoulders and it had the part that fastened in back, but in the front was almost nothing! There was a piece that looked like it would contour the undersides of the breasts and maybe support them. Was this a bra that left the breasts uncovered? I was intrigued. That one went into the "to-be-modeled" pile for sure!

She had a large number of old journals and notebooks full of her writing. Some of them dated back to when she was quite young. She had preserved the older ones in plastic bags. I could tell that her writing was significant to her. I thumbed through several that were not covered in plastic. I would save all of them for her, and I would read them. I wondered if she knew that I'd read every paper she had saved in her laptop. Many of her beliefs and opinions were similar to mine, while others differed greatly. I looked forward to some lively discussions throughout the coming years.

She was, unfortunately, correct that many people (Bobby Burnham being one) didn't look past the waitress to find the sensitive, well-spoken, intelligent woman behind her. It had been obvious to me the first time we had spoken how intelligent she was. I had wanted to know more. She was much different than Sookie in that respect. Sookie was smart and had read a lot, but she was definitely the product of a small southern town. She didn't know much about what was beyond the borders of Louisiana. The townspeople had made her feel like something was wrong with her and she had just accepted that. In many ways, Sookie and Bill were well-suited for each other. He, too, was simple and unsophisticated. He was also dumb as a box of rocks, in my opinion.

By contrast, Dina had been colored by the places where she had lived and traveled. She had just the slightest trace of the Chicago accent when she spoke, and was very fortunate to have been able to escape the obligatory southern drawl that people who'd grown up around here had affected. I had lived in this region of the world for hundreds of years and had seen it grow into what it was now. I couldn't wait to share those stories with Dina. She was the first person since Pam whom I had wanted to share my history with. A Vampire normally has to be on his guard at all times. You couldn't give away too much of yourself or it would inevitably be used against you, sometimes hundreds of years later, for we remember everything. My own speech still held traces of the Norse accent that I had been born with. I was sure that Dina would be an excellent student when it came to learning new languages, and I intended to teach many to her.

None of Dina's furniture had been brought here; there was no room for it in the small space of the lair below. Her bedding was here, however. Her sheets and blankets would not fit on my custom-sized bed, but there was one decorative pillow that I'd seen her hugging a lot at night when she was alone. It was about three feet long and cylindrical, about a foot in diameter. It was made of plush fleece and was very soft. I had often been jealous of that pillow and wanted to take its place. Now that she was sleeping in my bed every day, I could afford to be generous. I would bring it back and put it on our bed for her. But if she started paying more attention to it than me, out it would go! I would ask her if she wanted to keep her blanket or comforter for lying around on the couch.

I had finally gone through all of her boxes, feeling privileged to have been able to look in on this window of my Dina's life that had now closed. What lay ahead was her future with me. I had not unpacked anything, just rearranged and repacked. I had a surprise for her. I made the decision that she should be mine, long before she 'offered' herself to me at Merlottes. I knew that the lair I occupied here was not really suited for two people, be they both Vampires, humans, or one of each. I had visited my other residences to see which one would be more suitable for the two of us. The one I had chosen was a little bit farther out of town than this one, but it was actually a shorter distance from Fangtasia. The square footage was more than double what this one was, and the lair had a full kitchen and full bathroom facilities for a human. More than one bathroom facility, actually. It had a space to do laundry, where this one did not, and it had an elevator to the lair instead of stairs. The security there was better. There were some unused rooms in that lair, and I was having them customized.

Dina would have her own room there, a place where she could work on her school assignments or journal, or look at the web sites I was currently assigning to her. There would be a place for all of her books. I had made note of the titles of all of the books she had and had set some of my minions on a quest to find a brand new first edition of each, no matter the cost. If it was an older book, a brand new one might not be possible, but I wanted the first edition. Her books were well-used, tattered and torn. There was a huge living space with a fireplace and I had designed a great area for us to play.

After tonight I knew I would have to designate some areas for punishment and I had some things in mind. There was enough room, I thought, for an isolation closet and a room full of equipment. There was another huge room that I had ordered equipment for, but that room was for pleasure. One would be dark, cold, and frightening, while the other would be open and fun. Like this house, I would not allow Dina to know where the locations of the punishment rooms were. I didn't want her to get curious and go look at them. She would never see the rooms. She would always be blindfolded and there were no lights in the rooms. I could see just fine in the dark. I planned on breaking the news to her tonight after we settled the issue of this punishment.

Speaking of punishment, finally finished with the last box, it was time to go get Dina and release her from her bindings. Working at Vampire speed, it had only taken me a little over two hours to go through her things. I was sure she thought it had been much longer. I was glad. When I had contemplated this arrangement at first, I had known there would be a time when I would have to punish her for different things. At the time, it had excited me, and I thought I would enjoy her terror during her punishment and then fuck her afterward and take her blood. Now that it had actually happened, I would do no such thing. I hadn't counted on caring for her as much as I did, or the sorrow I would feel when I hurt her.

I made my way downstairs, locking all the security doors behind me as I went. She was shivering as I watched her on my tablet. Perhaps 55 degrees had been too cold. I had started to make it 45. I was glad I had changed my mind. I left the tablet in my office and opened the door, which was behind the bathroom. Even though she couldn't hear me, I stepped in quietly and stood there for a moment. Now that I could see her more clearly, I felt even more terrible. There were streaks on the leather below her nose as though her nose had run. She shivered constantly and I could see her muscles working against the bindings trying to move, even though they could not. Behind her gag I could hear tiny whispers of air that I knew instinctively would be cries or whimpers if I could hear them.

I didn't want to startle her, so I slowly knelt in front of her and lightly touched her shoulders. She still started violently as I touched her. I squeezed her shoulders gently and kept contact as I moved around behind her. I ran my hands over the arm binders a few times, knowing that she could feel my touch through them. First I removed the weighted spreader bar from between her ankles. I could see that she had scraped her toes and the tops of her feet. I bloodied my finger with a fang and rubbed my blood into each scrape until it disappeared. Then I worked each ankle for a few seconds to get the stiffness out, and placed a cloth I pulled from my back pocket beneath her feet to avoid any more scrapes. I started at the bottom and unbuckled each strap that I had wrapped around her body, all the way to her shoulders. This provided a little bit of relief to her because she could move slightly, though not much. I could feel her gratitude at that small freedom through the bond.

The last thing I did in there was cut each of the zip ties holding her attached to the pole. I knew before it happened that she would fall as soon as she no longer had its support, so I easily caught her in my arms as she fell forward. I lifted her into my arms and carried her bridal-style out of the room. I gently laid her sideways on the couch, all the way against the back, and piled a few pillows in front of her so she wouldn't roll off. I took out an earplug then, gently cupping the back of her head with my palm when my touch startled her. I knew this was a natural reaction considering her previous isolation and didn't take offense.

"Dina, I will be right back. Stay here. Do not try to get up." She nodded at me, and I bent to kiss her forehead where none of the harness's leather was covering her skin. I grabbed a throw blanket that she used often and covered her with it, and then I quickly retrieved the straps and equipment from the punishment room and relocked the door, once again hiding its location from Dina. On the way through the bathroom, I grabbed a washcloth and wet it with hot water. I dumped everything into the chest and hurried back to take care of her. The sound of her breathing had already greatly improved and I was relieved. I removed both earplugs from her ears and gently sat her up, leaning against me. I put my arms around her for a few seconds.

"I am proud of you, Dear One," I told her softly. "You withstood your punishment bravely."

She couldn't do much to acknowledge my words, so she leaned in my direction. "I will remove everything now," I assured her.

I started with the arm binders, the most obvious source of her current discomfort. They would have made her arms and shoulders ache the entire time, and she would feel it now as I removed them. I could feel her body relax as I quickly unlaced the binders with my nimble Vampire fingers, then I pulled her back and reached around her to unbuckle the straps at her chest. I could still see the hand print from where I had slapped her. I thought I had only swatted her. Had I really hurt her? I leaned around her and gently kissed, then rubbed the spot where the print was. It lightened then; perhaps it was because her flesh had been cold that the mark had stayed. I gently pulled the big glove off of her arms to fully release her from the binder; she sighed and her body sagged. I didn't want her hands entirely free yet, so I quickly reached into my back pocket and locked the handcuffs back on to her wrists.

"This is only for a few more moments," I told her, and she nodded, squeezing my hands with her tired fingers. I rubbed her hands gently for a few seconds and then reached for the posture collar, unlocking it and setting it aside. I turned her head gently right and then left a couple of times to make sure she was all right before moving to the gag. I opened the front and released the pressure, making all of the air leak out, the balloon inside deflating. She whimpered in relief, and I actually heard her. Then I removed the blindfold from her eyes. She blinked a few times in the light but then gazed at me, pleading with me to get the rest of the gag off of her. Or so I guessed.

I started with the chin strap, then unbuckled the side straps, and finally the top one. "Open your mouth slowly," I cautioned her.

She did as I said, and I was able to gently pull the rubber piece out from between her cheeks and teeth. Immediately I kissed her on both cheeks, then I started working her jaw gently with both of my hands to loosen it back up. It must be very stiff, having been severely confined by that gag for 2 ¾ hours. I gently applied the now lukewarm washcloth to her face, hoping to soothe her a little. Tears appeared in her eyes and she leaned forward, beginning to sob. I quickly unlocked the handcuffs and removed them from her wrists and she fell into my arms, sobbing hard and clinging to me. I was sitting sideways on the cushions and she wrapped both her arms and her legs around me. But she wasn't saying anything!

Then, I remembered. I had ordered her not to speak until I said she could speak again. "You may speak to me, Dear One," I said softly, kissing her eyelids and licking her tears from her face.

"I'm sorry Eric!" she sobbed. "I won't lie to you ever again! I promise! I won't try to keep you from knowing about things! I won't try to stop you from doing what you have to do! I'll respect your authority, your judgment!"

She rattled all of this off to me so quickly that it sounded like she had rehearsed it in her head for when she could finally tell me. "I know. I know," I said, rocking her like a child. I could hear her sincerity in her voice, but only time would tell if she could truly keep those promises.

"Will you ever forgive me?" she whispered, and I could see her working to get her emotions under control.

"Let it out, Dina! It's all right." I told her. "You are forgiven. I am no longer angry with you." She was still cold, and shaking.

I wanted to get some clothes on her – and I stopped for a few seconds to consider the irony of that – so I picked her up, still wrapped around me, and carried her to the bathroom. I knew she might have human needs, so I set her on the toilet and tried to dislodge her arms and legs from me to give her some privacy. She wouldn't let go even though her bladder started to empty itself the moment I sat her down. She had previously refused to let me see her doing this, and so I knew something powerful had broken inside of her. I stroked her hair as she grabbed handfuls of mine and held on tight.

"Let me get you dressed," I insisted, finally able to get her to unwrap herself from around me. "I am only going to stand up and come right back. I won't leave the room."

She nodded and while I got down the pajama set I had prepared for her, she used some of that paper humans buy to clean herself up and wipe her face. Then she blew her nose a couple of times. "I don't know why I'm acting this way," she told me, now seeming to feel embarrassed. I rewet the cloth with warm water while I was up.

"Has anyone ever punished you so harshly for anything, ever before?" I asked, squatting down and applying the warm cloth to the handprint on her breast that I could still see. She sighed and leaned forward to shyly kiss my cheek, as if she wondered if her kiss would be welcome. I removed the washcloth and started pulling the soft cotton top over her arms and head before covering her body with it. She hugged herself, touching its softness and looking at me in surprise. "I wanted you to be comfortable," I explained and grinned.

She shook her head then. "I've never been through anything like that, no." Then she hung her head. "I've never deserved it before." She started to stand up, but I pushed her gently back.

"Here, put these on," I insisted.

She looked at me like I'd grown another head. "You are putting bottoms on me?"

I allowed her to stand and pulled them on, and then I pulled up her top to admire the way they looked. "Beautiful!" I said. Then I swung her up into my arms and carried her toward the bedroom. "I can't think about myself and sex 24 hours a day." I told her. "Tonight is about taking care of you."

* * *

**A/N: The next section shows Dina's POV but goes back to the moment when Eric brought her to the couch. I wanted to show both POVs during this time when he took care of her.**

* * *

DINA POV

Eric carried me, with my arms still bound and the terrible gag still strapped to my head. I wished I could wrap my arms around him, if only to be sure I had him as tightly as he had me. He laid me on what I assumed was the couch. I was surrounded by softness. He touched me to remove my earplug. I flinched away. I wasn't afraid of him, but not being able to see, hear, or speak made my reflexes hypersensitive. My mind knew my body had no defense and wanted me to pull away from anything and everything.

I calmed myself and he told me stay where I was. I could do that. I felt his lips against my head and instantly felt better. He then covered me and my body began to heat up. I was so cold. The pain was going away bit by bit. I stretched out my legs and felt the blood rush through them. I relaxed, knowing my hell was over.

He sat me down and gave me the kind words I longed for. Perhaps I was silly to think he wouldn't want me. I was very emotional and let that get the better of me. I moved toward him, because as nice as his words were, I wanted to be free if it was over. He moved to undo the bindings. God, I was so sore. Once again, I felt my nerves come alive and the constricted blood move freely thought my veins. When he undid the buckles around my chest that held the arm binder in place, I sighed against my gag in sweet relief. He gently touched the place on my breast where he struck me for resisting. I felt his cool lips touch the area. He finally began to slide the bag off of my arms and I knew heaven in that moment. Heaven was a short thing as those same familiar cuffs locked around my wrists.

"This is only for a few more moments." He told me. I nodded and squeezed his hands with mine. I could handle a few moments.

He took off the posture collar and then began to work on the gag. He turned my head all angles and checked carefully for any damage. It was both wonderful and agonizing. I can't explain how much better I felt when he released the air in the gag. He then took off the blindfold. I stared at him. I wanted to be out of pain and I wanted to talk to him; tell him I learned my lesson.

Eric undid each buckle and rubbed that part of my head after doing so. I slowly flexed my muscles. Finally, he was ready to take the gag out. He warned me to move slow and I nodded. I knew it might hurt like hell if we pull it out too fast.

My mouth was finally free. Eric kissed both of my cheeks and started to clean my face with a washcloth. Eric. My "cruel, ruthless" Vampire. ... That was it for me. Everything I held in, was coming out. His hands massaged my cheeks and the tears spilled from my eyes. He finally removed those awful cuffs. He caught me as I fell into him sobbing loudly. My body shook. I let it all go and barely even considered being embarrassed by my display. Or the fact that I was getting Eric wet with my human 'leaking', as Pam called it.

I wrapped my whole self around him. I cried, but didn't speak. He had told me to wait. I would not be punished again. I felt like one of those hardasses who say they'll die before they go back to prison.

"You may speak to me, Dear One." His lips kissed my eyes and his tongue sneaked out to taste my tears.

Now was my moment. Everything I came to realize. Everything I had to say to him.

"I'm sorry Eric!" I cried to him, "I won't lie to you ever again! I promise! I won't try to keep you from knowing about things! I won't try to stop you from doing what you have to do! I'll respect your authority, your judgment!"

I hope he believed me. I hoped he forgave me. I didn't want him to let me go. This wasn't like the clinginess I had been dealing with, this was an obsessive need to have him touching me. It felt like my life depended on it. I just wanted everything to be okay.

"I know. I know," He said as he rocked me.

"Will you ever forgive me?" I whispered, scared of my own voice and his answer.

He told me I was forgiven and the crying began again. I was so relieved. I had so much bottled up inside. God, my life was so hard and different now. All of the pressure, the pain, the fear, and uncertainty came out in waves.

He lifted me and I didn't even think to ask where we were going. I just held him. I thought a million things. I wondered how I would get through this. One punishment and I was half way crazy afterward. The same thoughts about Eric not wanting me came back. I fought them off as best I could….we ended up in the bathroom. He sat me down, but I wouldn't release him. I suddenly realized I had to go. And it just happened. Maybe I had been holding it. I had sworn to myself I would never do this in front of Eric. I mean, my God, even human men didn't always like this. How would my Vamp deal with it?

He got away from me but at least he promised to stay in the room. I began to clean myself up. I was a fucking mess.

"I don't know why I'm acting this way," I told him honestly, what the fuck was wrong with me?

"Has anyone ever punished you so harshly for anything, ever before?" He asked as he took that same washcloth, now warmer, and held it against the spot on my breast where he had slapped me. I was overwhelmed. What would he do if I tried to kiss his cheek? I tentatively leaned forward and touched my lips to his cool skin. He didn't react; instead he pulled a shirt over my head. It felt soft and warm. I crossed my arms and touched both sleeves. I traced my finger tips over the fabric. This wasn't my typical outfit when I was with Eric. I looked at him curiously.

"I wanted you to be comfortable," He replied, without me needing to voice my question. Then he grinned. That made me feel like we might be able to put this past us.

I smiled softy and remembered his question. I shook my head "I've never been through anything like that, no."

And I was responsible for this whole thing. What is a relationship without trust? With lies? I dropped my head down. "I've never deserved it before."

I started to stand, but he stopped me.

"Here, put these on."

I looked at what he held in his hands. What was going on here? Did I walk into the damn twilight zone? I looked at him with my eyes bugging out and my jaw open. "You are putting bottoms on me?" He didn't answer but was looking at me expectantly. I put them on quickly. Boyshorts, in the same soft, white material as the top.

He led me to the mirror and pulled the shirt up to look at them on me. "Beautiful!" He exclaimed.

Before I could think about this weird turn of events, Eric was lifting me up and carrying me to our bed. "I can't think about myself and sex 24 hours a day." He told me. "Tonight is about taking care of you."

I wondered how this was possible. He was so mad at me before. He had chained me up and now He was caring for me. How could I betray him and be forgiven so soon after? How long had it been anyway? We ended up on our bed, scurrying under the covers. I was still cold.

Eric wrapped me tight in his arms. I laid my head on his chest. There was no heartbeat. But I knew there was something in there. Eric absolutely did have a heart; I was seeing it tonight. There was a kindness in him, few saw. It was weird to cuddle with a cool body that didn't breathe. I was getting used to it. I still warmed up from his hands creating friction as they rubbed my back and arms.

"Are you ready to speak to me, lover?"

"Yea….I'm sorry. I kinda…lost control back there." I was going to be embarrassed for life. I thought about my crying and… Oh god, If anyone would have ever told me that I would sit down and pee in front of Eric Northman, I'd have thought they were out of their minds!

"Hush," Eric said with enough force for me to remember who was in charge, "You have been through a lot and were just punished for the first time. It was not unexpected by any means."

"Really? You knew this would happen?" I asked, anxiously wanting his reassurance.

"If not tonight, then soon. Maybe nothing too monumental would happen and you would finally succumb to your stresses. I knew there would be some tears after a punishment."

"Does it gross you out? The tears…the snot? And I, kinda, ya know…peed with you in the room." My voice got low.

"Dina," He stroked my face and looked at me. "You are human and I am Vampire. You can't deny your body and urges, any more than I can mine. And there is never to be a secret between us. You shouldn't even hide your body's release from me."

I was quiet. Eric's prejudices were no secret to me, but now he spoke as though he had none. I thought he was struggling with this. Perhaps I the Lionel to his Archie Bunker; He didn't hold my humanity against me. I had seen on one of the blogs he told me to skim through that the sub's Dom made her keep the bathroom door open and even made her go while he stood by her. I think it was even worse when your Master didn't pee himself.

"You'll learn to not yearn for privacy from me soon, I promise. This will take time. Now let's discuss your punishment. How do you feel? Are you angry with me?"

How could I be angry? He didn't do anything. "No, I shouldn't have done that…I-I can't promise that I'm ever going to be okay with you killing people. Its just not who I am or what I believe. I don't know…I don't know how to be honest when I know what that honesty will lead to."

I hoped he didn't get mad. I never wanted to be punished like that again. I also didn't want to be a liar; especially to the man I loved and was living with. But I knew what this honesty would cost – someone's life. Eric also showed me what my deceit cost – and it was not pleasant by any means.

He was quiet. I could tell he was thinking.

"The world will always have killing. Even humans kill – sometimes far more and far worse than Vampires. I can't remember the last time we were responsible for genocide." He paused, as though to let this sink in. "I am a killer. I am ruthless. I am the Sheriff of Area 5 and I'm older than you can ever understand. I'm also your Bonded and your Master, by your own choice. And you will accept me; all of me. I do not mistreat you. My kindness, caring, and affection are always reserved for you. You are forbidden to lie to me. You now know one thing that may happen to you if you do so. I would have killed him anyway. There was no changing his fate. There is no need for guilt."

"And next time? What if you don't know and it is only my words that lead someone to die?" I felt sick at the thought.

"I wish you would accept how the world – mine in particular – works. I can't force this on you. I can only require your honesty and swear to not kill those who don't deserve it."

"I can't make you believe no one deserves to die." I said almost defiantly. This was a moment where Eric and I were painfully different.

"We will tackle this issue one event at a time. I will shield you from this reality as much as I can…anything else, you'd like to share?"

"No, but do you mind if I ask you a question?" I was reluctant to bring it up because I halfway thought that it might make him angry again. But I had to know.

"Of course I don't mind." He said gently. "You can ask me anything you want." I hoped he still meant that after I asked.

"How…" My throat closed up and I had to start again. "How long was I…" I didn't really know how to describe it.

He knew exactly what I was talking about. "From the time I left the room until I carried you out of there, it was 2 hours and 36 minutes."

I stared at him, disbelieving. "No, Eric! It had to have been much longer than that! I just know it was! You're teasing me!"

"Wait here for me a minute," Eric said, getting out of bed.

"Where are you going?" I started to get out of bed to follow him, afraid to be away from him for even a moment or two.

He came around to my side of the bed, lifted my legs back onto the mattress, took 3 of the decorative pillows, and piled them behind me. He pushed me back onto the pillows and tucked the covers up under my arms. I tried a few times to open my mouth and argue, but he gave me a stern look each time. Finally he handed me one of the pillows he slept on, and the green track jacket he had come home in. "Now, do as I say!" he growled softly at me.

I hugged the items tightly and buried my face in Eric's jacket. "Just hurry," I pleaded, the sound of my voice muffled.

He wasn't gone long and slid easily back under the covers when he returned. I wasted no time in scrambling across the bed toward him. He met me halfway; sometimes he was so understanding.

"Now, I want you to think about a few things" he said firmly. I nodded. "Do you remember what you were doing before I got up?"

I tried to think for a few minutes.…

Yes! The evening news had been on. Eric preferred the Vampire-run networks (three had popped up since the Great Revelation), and the newscaster was named Magnus. He was kind of a jerk. He never smiled and he was known to be politically active, always ranting about "the blood being sacred." I had no idea what he was talking about so I mostly tuned him out.

"Yes Eric, Magnus was ranting on the news again! I turned it off, and there you were."

Eric rolled his eyes, which was actually pretty funny coming from Eric. He never did that in front of anybody but me, and I smiled at him. He grinned back.

"The news is over at, roughly, 6:30?" He asked. I nodded. "Then I got up and we argued, and I got everything out, and put you in there for your time-out, and…"

"Time-Out?" I usually didn't interrupt Eric but his words upset me. "You call what you did to me a 'time-out'?" I looked at him with my mouth hanging open, unable to believe what I had just heard.

"Well, how else would you define it?" He asked, totally oblivious to the insult he had just dealt me.

"Eric, you locked me in a cold, dark room!" I exclaimed. "I couldn't hear or see! I couldn't yell for help! I couldn't move! I had to endure that for several hours! That's a 'time-out' to you?"

"You were never in any danger." he told me firmly, in his 'you'd-better-listen' voice. "I was within less that a second's time of getting to you if something went wrong. I never left the house; I only made it seem like I was going to. This is where you need to trust me implicitly, Dina."

"I do!"

"No, you don't. Because if you did, you would know these things. That if I left the house I would make provisions for you to be safe otherwise. You would not work yourself up to a panic attack. You would not be waiting for something bad to happen to you because you would know I would never allow that as long as I was in control of the situation. Do you believe that I was in control of the situation?"

I was stunned, hearing how Eric thought about this. I would have to do my own thinking on the subject. "What if someone stronger than you came in and took over?"

He laughed at that. "Do you really believe that would happen?"

There it was, the ball back in my court again. Why couldn't I earn a point or two here? "I don't think there's anybody stronger than you Eric."

"Do you realize that you just contradicted yourself?" he wanted to know. But then he smiled softly at me. "Dina, I am not the strongest creature on this earth, although there are few who are stronger than me. Not many Vampires make it past a few hundred years before they meet the sun, make an enemy who ends them, or do something else to end their existence. Vampires are not the only supernatural creatures, but we are one of the most powerful. Dina, you may rest assured knowing that you are guarded and kept safe by one of the hundred or so most powerful beings on this planet. I am not idealizing myself; I am stating fact. But I do not have quarrels with any of the others with whom I am acquainted. You are safe with me. Which brings us back to our original question. Trust."

"Can I be honest with you?"

"I hope you will."

"Sometimes it isn't my trust in you that's in question. In some ways I am afraid of you." I looked at my hands in my lap, hoping not to anger him.

He put his arms around me. "A little bit of healthy fear is good. I do have a sadistic side that you will very likely be on the receiving end of many times. You should fear punishment from me because I will never make it something you would enjoy. But, even within the context of those two things, I want you to trust me. I make you this vow, and maybe I should have before now. Even if I am angry with you or you are in the middle of a punishment from me, or if the activity we are pursuing causes you physical pain, I will never let anyone hurt you, and I will not bring serious or permanent injury to you. You need never fear that. You will always be safe."

I looked at him, unable to form the words that I knew he wanted to hear. "So basically you are promising me that you won't let another person or being hurt me, but that at some point you will hurt me yourself, deliberately. When you hurt me, it will be pain and not injury, is that right?

"That is part of it, yes."

"You want me to be afraid of punishment because I can look forward to more of what happened tonight?"

"I can't fully answer that question because neither of us knows if or why you may be punished in the future. The why determines the how."

"That's fair, Eric. And I do trust you. You feel the kind of trust you want from me sometimes because it is there. But there's a lot that's really hard for me to wrap my head around."

"It's all right, Dina. Surprisingly, this does not anger me. It disappoints me. But you and I have not been together long enough for me to have to defend you except in very small ways. I know that having your complete and unending trust will take time."

"So, where does that leave us?"

"Hopefully, working through things and generally happy with each other. I want you to think about the issue of your trust for me and journal about it when you do. Will you do that for me?"

"Yes, I'll do that for you," I told him and smiled.

"Now that we have that out of the way, take a look at this." He showed me his cell phone and it wasn't even 11:00 yet!

"How is that possible!" I shrieked, unable to control myself, sitting forward, and staring at him.

"I told you, Dear One, you were only there for a little less than 2 ¾ hours."

I sat there and added up the time that I was conscious of, when I had access to a clock or some other way to tell the time. It had taken him some time to put all of those restraints on and take them back off of me. I had grossly overestimated my time; that was obvious. "It seemed like so much longer!"

"That's normal," he told me. "When the mind has no point of reference, it perceives time going much slower than it is."

"It's crazy, isn't it?" I said, shaking my head. Not even three hours! I really thought it would be dawn and Eric would have to rush to bed. But we had all night.

"I'm sorry for disbelieving you about the time, Eric. And I do trust you. You're right. …We have to be together a little bit longer for me to know you as well as I want to, so my trust comes naturally. I know we'll get there."

"Good, sit up." Eric leaned forward and kissed the side of my head, then he began to rise and I followed. I wondered what we were going to do next. "Lean forward." I complied, still unsure. He began to pack the pillows behind me and I leaned back.

"Comfortable?"

"Yes." I replied honestly. Not only was this 1,000 times better than being chained to a pole, it felt nice to wear these PJs in our cozy bed.

"Good. Sit tight. I'll be right back."

I wondered where he was going. Even though I wasn't in trouble, I was nervous. It was an irrational reaction. He disappeared into the bathroom and came back quickly. I saw the flower in his hand and my stomach dropped. Eric wasn't happy about this. The ever-present bond told me. He never put me down and didn't like me to do it either. I hoped I wasn't going to be punished…although he hadn't actually ordered me not to do or say thing to put myself down. I wondered if I could argue for myself and win. He always gave me a chance to speak before he punished me.

He sat beside me. "Why did I find this in the garbage, Lover?"

"I…I felt bad about lying to you." I sounded so pathetic now. When I was in the moment I'd tossed it without a second thought.

"I punish you Dina, you don't punish yourself. You associate success and not failing with your worth. This is not true. You will fail. You are not perfect. I will push you and when you stumble, I will correct you. Then you will do better."

I dropped my head, embarrassed. Why was this so hard for me? Was my natural competitiveness and perfectionism harming me or the way Eric saw me? He lifted my chin and looked into my eyes.

"You always take on too much. From fighting a group of humans to save a baby vampire to assuming you could handle Bobby with no one there to aid you. Your only job now if to please me and I've already guaranteed there will be times when you will fail. I'm not angry. I am neither surprised nor disappointed. What can we do to fix this mindset of yours?"

"Are you going to punish me?" I asked, honestly wondering. If punishment corrected behavior, would he 'correct' my mindset?

"This time or ever?" He answered my question with a question.

"Either...both."

"I might set a rule against you making comments that disparage yourself. I'm familiar with your "jokes" that put yourself down." He must have seen my look my surprise. "Dina, when will you learn I know almost everything?" He shook his head at me and I was evermore curious how Eric managed to get things done and know so much all the time.

"As I was saying," he continued. "I don't know if punishment will change the overall thought process behind the actions. You won't be punished anymore tonight. But perhaps one day it will work well to start stomping out this behavior through punishment. From a psychological angle, could you see this working?"

I stared at him open mouthed before I regained my wits.

"You want me to give you scientific research and academic theories so you can punish me? You want me to validate you punishing me?" I asked incredulously.

"Yes." He smirked the cockiest smile I'd ever seen. "Remember no lying."

"Ugh…There is a chance changing how you talk about things changes how you think and that repeating things makes them believable. It's debatable."

"I see…then perhaps you are no longer allowed to insult yourself. We can test out this 'debatable' theory. If you insult yourself, I will punish you. And we will find other ways to get you over this belief that if you don't be things perfectly you are unworthy."

"Insult verbally?"

"Are you trying to find loop holes to insult yourself?" He cocked an eye brow, making me feel silly the way he phrased it.

"Loop holes to avoid punishment." I volleyed back.

His eyes narrowed and I fought with myself: my typical pattern before Eric was to stare back, harder. But now I wondered if the more intelligent and submissive thing to do would be to lower my eyes and not be so defensive. I blinked and stopping staring back, but kept my head level.

"Fine. You'll only be punished for verbal remarks against yourself. For now."

I nodded. "Now, My Bonded, lets get this back where it belongs."

It was easy to forget he was holding the flower on his lap. He pulled out a hair clip from his pocket. I leaned forward so we could put the flower back. I didn't miss Eric's words for a second. I was His and he wanted me.

I watched him stare at the clip and roll it in his hands. I didn't think Eric had ever used a snap clip before. "Do you want help?"

"I'm sure I can work a hair clip. Hold still."

I didn't point out that I hadn't moved. He was kinda cute when he was irked. He finally snapped it open and was surprised. Then he seemed quite pleased with himself. He snapped it shut and reopened to test it. I suddenly wondered if he was going to hurt my head snapping it shut. I'd have friends do that while fixing my hair and even did it once or twice to myself.

"Don't be worried. I won't break your clip. I can buy you more anyway." He informed me.

I smiled. The bond wasn't that bad. Not always. Weird though, very weird.

He pushed the stem into my hair and got it in just the right place. He held it and moved the open clip into place. He carefully snapped it into place.

"There. Beautiful." He took a moment to admire his handiwork.

It felt like things had shifted – again. It was amazing the day I wore the collar with his name on it and all the symbolism of that day: addressing him as my master, fastening his collar around my neck thereby reaffirming being his, and being styled according to his preferences. But now I had been punished. I was also soaking in the care he gave me after a punishment.

"Come now, Lover, you know I shouldn't have to ask what you are thinking."

"Is it different now? I know my worth hasn't changed or my position with you, but is it different at all?"

"In some ways. I've been careful and lenient – far more than I assumed I would – but now it might be time to really start training and correcting you. The faster you learn and become trained, the faster we can settle into a regular routine. And you can gain some privileges. You know I don't do this to be cruel. I wouldn't be surprised if you received small punishments daily until you are more well trained and larger punishments, like tonight, more than one a week."

"Daily?" I squeaked. And once a week? More than one a week?

"It's not all bad. You are not embracing the best parts of our relationship. The most obvious being, after a punishment there is no anger. You did wrong. I corrected you. I will never carry anger after you have been properly disciplined. We are back to being 100% fine with one another."

I took a moment to think this over. After fights in other relationships, even after 'I'm sorries' and 'you are forgivens', there was still anger. There was still resentment. It was residual and minor, but it was almost always there. Right now in this moment, Eric wasn't mad. We wouldn't talk about it in an hour. He wouldn't bring it up at a later date – that one last dig over something that upset him. It was over.

But I still had a lingering issue or two. I should jump on it while I had Eric sitting beside me asking me if I wanted to talk. I was also quite comfy.

"So if I do something and I'm really sorry, do I still get punished?"

"Yes."

"Why?" I asked, my voice going up just a tad too high.

"Because the behavior needs to be stopped. Punishment is preventative. It ensures next time you won't do the same thing. It also allows for smaller punishments or less punishment altogether." He explained calmly.

"I don't follow."

"If you do something during training, the punishment can be smaller because you are expected to make mistakes. After training, that expectation is smaller. And in public, misbehavior isn't tolerated. We've talked about this before – if you do things in front of other vampires, I must respond as is expected of me. You know my reputation. They will expect me to be ruthless and unmerciful. Thus the punishments can be smaller now. Understand?"

"Yes."

"You can also have fewer punishments because the quicker I stomp this behavior out, the faster you behave better and only get rewards. If I let you get away with things and then punish you, you will not learn good boundaries. Does that make sense?"

"Yes, but I'm not in love with the concept.

He laughed. "Nor do I expect you to be. No matter how turned on you get from pain – and you do – I will ensure you don't want to be punished. I also won't stop once a punishment begins; no matter what. As we discussed tonight, if I need to change your punishment due to your panic or health, it will be changed not discontinued."

"Why? What if you know I'm really sorry and won't do it again? What if I only need half of what you planned?" I inquired.

"Because you can't opt out of the parts of our relationship you dislike. It's not a game you can quit when you don't get your way."

"I'm not a child Eric and I understand I can't just have it my way. I'm just asking." I replied feeling very embarrassed and insulted by his analogy.

"I wasn't trying to insult you. I won't do that. I think we've talked about this enough and there are a few more things I want to get to." He paused as if to ensure I was okay with this, I nodded.

"I would like to update you about what's going on outside this house – please don't interrupt –I'm telling you what is already done and not what you can change."

I nodded fearfully and let him continue.

"As far as facebook is concerned you have shut off your phone for an impromptu vacation. You are starting a new job soon and enjoying the advance from it. Where you went there is little reception or wifi. A few people are concerned and have tried to call you. Most are happy for you. I've been keeping up to date with all of your stuff. We will be discussing whom you will keep speaking to and when within the next day or two. We will also finalize what things from your old life you will keep – I've already gone through almost all of it. Finally I have some news for you."

"Wow…okay, that's a lot to absorb. I'm not entirely happy, but what you said isn't as bad as I thought it would be."

"Good. As for news: firstly, you get to call your family this week. Only 30 minutes of phone time. I will sit with you and hope you use it wisely. Do not be nervous, we have a story about where you are and what you've been up to. We'll move forward slowly. I've also decided we are moving."

My jaw dropped. Okay I was still reeling from him posting about my life, going through my stuff, and wanting to cut people out of my life. But then I finally get to call my family. And we're moving! Was he trying to kill me with all this?

"Relax. We're only going to another home of mine. I've been remodeling it for us."

"But why?"

"Dina, I never live in one place. That's both dangerous and boring. This house is nice. It's also small. It wasn't made for both of us. You have had problems here with things like lighting and I guarantee the other rooms are in the same or worse shape. I tend to stay here only to rest and gain solitude. The smallness helps with that. This other house is larger and will be altered so you are comfortable there too."

"That's…really sweet. Are you sure you want this? It's not just about me." I wanted to make sure.

"No, I never planned for us to be here indefinitely. We will go between our homes. Keep enough at each place. If we like one more, we spend more time there. I'm texting with the construction crew regularly and Pam has gone to visit and check the progress. I'll take you for a preview soon and talk about any changes we need; remember I'm not always aware of every human need you have."

"That would be wonderful…so what else are we doing tonight?"

"Just lying in bed. How does that sound?"

"Couldn't be better." I smiled.

Eric crawled back into bed with me. He pulled me close and I enjoyed smelling his delicious scent. He held me tight. Every now and again, he'd snuggle me, nuzzle against my head, or kiss me gently. I waited for him to initiate sex. But he didn't. What was going on here? Did he even get his blowjob today?

I kissed his neck. Once. Twice. I sucked a bit on his skin.

"Dina?"

I stopped surprised. Did I do something wrong by initiating? He sounded surprised.

"We don't have to little one. Tonight is about you." He said and kissed my head chastely.

"I want you." He looked into my eyes. "I want you to make love to me."

I was almost as surprised by my words as his. When did I actually 'make love'? I usually never said anything so corny. I didn't assume Eric would go for that idea either.

"Anything you want." He leaned down and kissed my lips. He wasn't his typical forceful self. His hands stroked and ran across my body in a slow motion. His touch was delicate. We laid there kissing and feeling one another's bodies for some time. We never went to touch our more intimate parts. I finally broke away and sat up.

I stripped out of my shirt and pants in record time. I didn't try to be sexy, just quick. I wanted to press my skin against his. Eric followed my lead and got naked even faster. We fell back into our spots. The kissing and stroking resumed but it was harder to ignore his erection. It pressed into me and I felt his wet precum against my leg. I knew I was equally as wet. I threw one leg over his and pressed into him. I hoped he felt how much I wanted him.

"Eric." I breathed between kisses.

He rolled me on top of him and we helped move his cock inside of me. I rocked against him. I couldn't remember the last time Eric let me be on top. He was really going out of his way for me tonight. His hands kept rubbing my back and bottom. Up and down, in a sweet rhythm. I loved the way my name sounded on his lips as he was inside of me.

As wonderful as it felt, it was lacking. I needed him. I needed him over me, on me, in me, around me,…I wanted to be surrounded and sucked into him. I wanted him to be a part of me. I needed that reassurance.

"Dina?' He asked, obviously feeling these emotions swirling in me.

"I need you…I want you on top; holding me; inside of me."

He looked slightly confused, and then he nodded. He flipped us over, without fully dislodging from me. He quickly thrust his full length in me and wrapped his arms tightly around my body. I sighed in pleasure. My legs wrapped around his and his knees bent to give him more of ability to thrust into me. He wasn't rough, but his drew his cock out and made sure every millimeter was buried in me when his hips swung toward mine.

His lips spilt kisses all over my face. I hungrily caught his lips every time they came near mine. He nipped at my neck, but didn't bite. When he came closer to his first orgasm and my third, he finally sunk his fangs into me. Sometimes he needed just a mouthful or two to cum hard and enjoy his climax. I felt him harden inside of me and begin again.

My body was tiring, but I didn't want to stop. Even when I got a little sore, I didn't want to stop.

"Lover, you need my blood. And probably some nourishment." Eric moved to pull out of me and I clamped my legs around him. Of course, this wouldn't work. He could get out of my hold with ease.

"I want you inside me when I take your blood."

He looked like he would deny me. Tell me my body needed to rest and recuperate, but he nodded his head. He pulled out, which disappointed me, but moved to sit beside me. He began to pull me up and I knelt in front of him, assuming I was going to get on top of him again. Instead he pushed my knees wide and licked his fingers. He lubricated my pussy and then smeared more saliva on his cock. "Turn around." He said.

I obeyed and he pulled me back so I sat on his cock, in a reverse cowgirl style. He wrapped an arm tightly around me. He raised his other arm and bit his wrist. I latched onto the wound. He growled as I did so. He rocked his hips against me. I began to suck his blood and ride him. He came very fast and told me to release his arm. I did so with regret. He tasted…good. Different and indescribable; like nothing I'd had before.

"Come, Lover. We're going to get you food and share blood one more time."

We disentangled ourselves and I acknowledged how hungry I was. I assumed we'd walk to the kitchen, but Eric lifted me before I could protest. He carried me bridal style and sat me on the counter top. He asked what I wanted and I had to think about. I opted for leftover, since we could just toss them in the microwave. Eric followed my culinary directions. He handed me the now-warm bowl with the lid still on it. He then put a fork on the lid and I moved my fingers to keep it there.

"Hold that."

I looked at him strangely. What was his next move? Before I could think to vocalize this, he lifted me up and carried me (and my food) to the living room. He gently sat me on the couch and took the food. He put the bowl on the table and covered me with the blanket. He then sat beside me and brushed my bangs from my face. He looked me over to ensure I was comfy – and I was. He then took the lid off of my food and grabbed the utensil. He brought the bowl to his lap and experimentally grabbed a bite of food with the fork. He brought it to my mouth and I accepted it.

After this repeated a few times, it began to feel weird. I was a grown woman and he was feeding me. Eric must have noticed me not taking what he offered with enthusiasm or speed.

"Dina, I'm caring for you. Tonight I've punished you, shown you fair discipline, taught you a lesson, talked with you, made love to you, and now I'm providing you with sustenance. As your master, this is my duty and privilege. And it's your duty and honor to accept it."

"I feel a little childish." I was getting good at this honest communication thing. Or I was too tired to shut up. Either way.

"Nonsense. We don't have such things between us. There are no labels for the things we do and no embarrassment between us. Now open."

I took the bite he offered. I eventually sat back and just let him feed me. He rose once to get me a drink. He put a straw in the glass and held it while I sipped. There was actually something sweet and nice about this. Once all of the food was gone, Eric told me to see to my human needs and meet him back in bed.

I went and peed. I couldn't help blushing remembering having done this right in front of him not long ago. I still had a long way to go if Eric wanted me to never be embarrassed with him. I hated being punished, but found I loved the after care.

When I came out Eric was on the bed with a knife in his hand. I recognized it from when we had shared blood before. I looked his cock and saw it was glistening. He must have applied some lube while I was in the washroom.

"I want us to mutually exchange. I'm going to be inside of you, as you have requested and when the time is right, I'll cut my neck. You will grab the wound before it heals. I'll bite you then. Understand?"

"Yes, Eric." I paused. That came out of my mouth naturally despite not being commanded to respond like that tonight. Eric only smiled and beckoned me over. He wasted no time pulling me on the bed and falling on me. His cock was slick and plunged into me. I groaned. He thrust hard and fast. He seemed to know I wanted this now. I wanted his ownership as well as his tenderness.

It was easy for me to cum. I was so sensitive and the more orgasms I had, the faster they came on. Eric slowed to reach for the blade. I was ready and craving sweet nectar. It was always hard to watch him injure himself, even though I knew he'd heal. Hell, he might heal before I could get to his blood.

I grabbed quickly as he bore down. Only a splash hit my throat, when he bit into my throat. I nearly came. We began to build a deep rhythm…thrust, grind, suck…rock, clench, lick…thrust, clench, suck,… grind, lick, thrust…

I felt my orgasm build and the intensity was almost too much. I tried to stop taking his blood, but he pressed into my mouth and pushed my head down with his own. His hips never stopped moving.

I swear I saw stars. Everything stopped for a second. I came so hard, my legs shook and then I couldn't move. Eric came inside of me and his roar sounded like it was a mile away. I laid there panting. He healed my neck and his own closed. He rolled beside me and let me pull myself together.

"Wow…" There were no words.

Eric laughed. "I still want you, lover. Tell me if you feel up to it."

I thought about his words and knew the answer. I would be ready and I would sleep for a very long time once dawn came.

EPOV

The bond quieted as she fell asleep, and I could finally relinquish my tight control on my own actions and emotions. Vampires are rarely restless but this night I was. I left the bed and paced nervously. I would have liked to go out for a fly but it was too close to dawn, and she might wake up to find me gone. She was especially fragile – more so than I'd thought she would be after a punishment, even one as harsh as what I had put her through.

The clinginess I had expected, and welcomed. It meant that even though I was the source of the hurt she had suffered, she did not hold me responsible for it. She held herself responsible, and therefore the punishment had done its job. The crying, I regretted, and hoped that I had soothed her feelings. Caring for her had not been a chore. On the contrary, it had been a joy to see her begin to smile again as I cared for her. And she had let go and performed one of the most basic acts a human does in front of me without thinking. She was embarrassed but now that it had happened I would force her to do it again. Her boundaries were steadily breaking down and I would conquer all of them. I would allow her to hide nothing from me!

But she had no idea what she was asking me to do by exchanging with her while buried deep inside her like that! I had almost told her "no." Taking her blood while being joined like that was too close to another act; one that I looked forward to with great anticipation. Was it only my advanced age that had allowed me to keep control, or was it something else?

I had come to care deeply for her. Was I in fact capable of love? Could the things I felt from her, one day come from me? Before her, I had thought not, but now, I was beginning to think otherwise.

How would she react when she found out my ultimate intentions? I could have easily kept going and had the deed done, but at what cost? On the other hand, I had enjoyed it immensely – bringing us both to the edge like that. The strength of both our sexual responses to it, especially hers, made me crave the act again.

Putting my blood inside her with my cock penetrating her as deep as it could go was quite the act of dominance, and she had asked it of me! My fangs ached and my cock twitched to do it again. It was good that the dawn forced me to lie down quietly next to her, take her in my arms, and go to rest. Otherwise, I am not sure what I might have done.


	22. The Long Night with EPOV

Note: okay all another chapter! I want to say sorry for the wait. My job is killing me. Two close relatives had a family-kidney transplant. I had a lot of babysitting and a lot of moving my hours at work. Shortly after the surgery (about a week), my uncle passed away. It was a shock and we are still getting back on track.

This chapter was actually 72 pages on a size 12 font by the time we called it quits. We've decided to cut it into 2 or 3 chapters as to make it easier to read. And might add one more part to the end.

I do have one request (apart from reviewing), please visit my poll on my profile. My coauthor and I have been playing around with the POV of the story and would enjoy some feedback. We ourselves can't agree on the best format.

Thanks for reading and sticking with us!

Dina POV

I woke up and stretched languidly in bed, like a cat that had just had the best nap of her life. I felt like I had. The previous night had begun in a hellish nightmare, but had ended with Eric and me closer than ever. I was still embarrassed of my behavior – clinging to him like a child and using the… oh my God I couldn't think about it without burying my head under the covers. But I couldn't help it. After all that time thinking that he would abandon me or throw me out on the street, it had been more than a relief to know that he not only planned to stay with me, but that he harbored no resentment or anger whatsoever. Whatever punishment he chose for me gave us a clean slate from that moment on. I had never known anyone like him. Even in friendships, sometimes disagreements were brought back up months, even years later. I honestly believed that with Eric it was over and done with.

As usual he lay still, unmoving. This was the only part of our relationship that I really regretted. If something happened during the day and he needed to get up and move, he couldn't. Whatever magic kept him alive as a Vampire also kept him unconscious and – let's just say it – dead until the sun set. I thought that I would love to get a medical degree and specialize in Vampires to see if there was anything I could do to reverse or correct that. But Vampires heavily guarded their secrets and would never, ever allow a human to study them for any reason. I would be dead at the mere suggestion of the project. But I missed my Eric during the day.

I walked around to Eric's side of the bed and picked up his cell phone, the only clock in the bedroom, and saw that it was nearly 5:00! I had slept late! I had very little time to take care of my human needs and do whatever Eric had assigned for me. I hoped he wouldn't be angry if I couldn't finish it. I would have to talk to him about letting me keep that alarm clock.

My stomach was rumbling so I went out to the kitchen first, thinking I'd have a bagel with some of that strawberry cream cheese I'd gotten on our last shopping trip. Nothing had been moved. My laptop still sat where I had left it the previous day. Usually Eric had been in it and would have given me some things to look at or do. I moved the mouse and saw that it was on exactly the same page it had been when I left it. That had been yesterday, before… Had it only been 24 hours since that horrible experience?

With my food in hand, I headed for the bathroom. Another surprise awaited me, Eric hadn't put out anything for me to wear! Had he decided to stop letting me wear clothes because of the punishment? That didn't really sound like Eric. He kept his punishments in line with what you had done. Not telling him the whole truth about Bobby had nothing to do with whether I wore clothes or not. I went back out to the bedroom and noticed that our clothes from last night were still on the floor where we'd thrown them. That was not like Eric either. He never left anything lying around.

That was when it hit me. Eric hadn't gotten careless; he just hadn't had time to do any of the things he usually did after I went to sleep at night! I had kept him busy with my crying and carrying on until the crack of dawn. That made me feel awful! I wanted to be a joy to him, not a problem that needs to be punished every other day! But the punishment kept coming back to me. I realized that I didn't want to spend my afternoon on the computer or watching TV. I wanted to be with Eric. I showered quickly and dried my hair with the blow dryer – I didn't have to worry about waking him up after all. I slathered Eric's favorite lotion all over my body and then climbed back into bed with him. I hoped he would be happy to find me there when he woke.

Sleep didn't come to me. I'd had enough sleep for the day. Eric's arm was like a dead weight but I managed to lift it and slide in close to his side where I had been before I got up. I closed my eyes and drank in the essence of Eric. His scent, the softness of his skin and hair, and the feelings that flowed through the bond between us… Hey! Wait a minute! Eric wasn't supposed to be able to feel anything right now! But there was definitely something there. I'd felt him long enough now for his presence, and lack of it, to become familiar to me.

"Eric?" I said softly, tentatively. "Can you hear me?" Nothing changed. He couldn't answer me, of course, but I'd thought the bond would signal me if he had heard me. "I love you, you know that?" I tried again. This time something did bounce back at me! It was just a feeling. Happy. That was what I got. I smiled and got the "warm-fuzzies," something I didn't often experience with Eric. He gave me plenty of good feelings; don't get me wrong! But this was different.

I snuggled in as close to him as I could and started caressing his chest, shoulders, arms, waist, anything I could reach. As I did that, the same happy feeling kept bouncing back at me through the bond. So, if I was interpreting this correctly, a Vampire was not completely dead while they slept. At some point they were able to feel and even respond to you. Or, at least Eric was! Even now, as I lay beside him, I could feel his consciousness growing through the bond. Maybe only someone like me could ever tell, because we were sharing blood every day to strengthen our bond. Eric insisted on it. Every time I turned around I was learning something new and freaky about the bond. Today was no exception.

It was only a short time later when Eric opened his eyes. I had known he would because he felt almost normal to me in the bond. Vampires seemed to wake up on the alert for danger, probably because of the history of people or other Vamps always trying to kill them. So for a second his eyes focused on me, wary and almost hostile. He was tense and his hands started to tighten on my body, but then he must have caught a whiff of my scent. Just like that his body relaxed and his hands began to roam over my skin. His fangs came down with an audible "click" and he let out a low growl. His hands tightened again around my waist and he pulled me toward him, throwing his leg over me. He stuck his face in between my shoulder, jaw, and the crook of my neck, and started nuzzling me; then his tongue came out and he licked me a few times. I giggled and my first instinct was to shrug my shoulder in defense of his attentions, but I knew he must be looking for the right place to bite and get his breakfast. I grasped his forearm and turned my head to give him the access he wanted. His tongue settled on my pulse point, he made a little happy sound, and his fangs sank in. At the same time his arms tightened around me. He seemed to think that he had to hold me so I wouldn't get away from him, but he didn't. It was OK. He made the cutest little growly noises sometimes when he fed, and he was doing that now. If anyone could see my big, mean, ferocious, intimidating Vampire right now, they might not be so afraid of him. It made me happy to know that he felt that he could let his guard down this much with me. He could be "Mr. Scary Vamp" in public but I would give him a soft place to lay his head. Even a Vampire needed the safety and sanctuary of a home.

The longer he fed the bigger another part of him got, and he was pressing that part of himself urgently against my hip. My own accompanying part was eager to join with it, so I tried to scoot beneath him so that he could hurry up and get inside me already. But for some reason he was having none of that. He growled, a bit less friendly, and tightened his hold on me, keeping me where I was. That was confusing. I thought I would try to give him a little encouragement and I reached for him. But my arm wasn't long enough and all I could do was wrap my fingers loosely around the head and take off the wetness with my thumb. As soon as I touched him he moaned and the movement of his hips became more exaggerated. So I tried again to scoot underneath him, but once again he stopped me. I gave up; I couldn't figure out what a half-awake, hungry, horny Vampire wanted. I flattened my palm against his stomach and moved it downward, only able to go far enough to play with the curls at the base of his hardness. With my other hand I rubbed his arm, then his shoulder, then I tangled my fingers in his hair at the back of his neck and massaged his scalp. He seemed to like that; his death grip on me loosened. He must have understood that I wasn't going to try to move again. My Vamp was so controlling sometimes! It was easy to lie there and embrace him while he satisfied his current craving for my blood. I don't think the craving ever went away for him; he was always happy to drink from me.

After only a few minutes he was finished, and he stopped the wounds from bleeding, then started to make long strokes with his wet tongue up and down my neck. He put his fangs away and started nipping at my ear and jawline with his teeth, and then I felt the mirth flowing through the bond at me. He was playing with me! I started to laugh and tried to get away from his tongue, but he wouldn't let me go! I took my nails and dug them into his shoulder, raking them down his chest and around his nipples, moving up with my other hand along his stomach and ribs. He actually jerked back when I did that. Was Eric ticklish? I tried again and, sure enough, he protected his ribs from my fingernails. But when I grabbed his nipples with my thumbs and forefingers and bit him just above his adam's apple, he stopped playing. He hissed and said "bite them!" Then he raised his head and looked directly into my eyes, and his had that soft glow about them that I found so magical. I was quickly lost in his eyes but he got impatient. "Bite me, Dina, now!" he ordered, but his voice wasn't commanding. It was the voice of a longing lover. How could I resist? I grinned at him and scooted lower on the bed, and he raised himself up on his forearms. I licked one of his adorable nipples and then sucked it into my mouth, finally closing my teeth gently around it and nibbling. "Harder!" he demanded, and something was, a lot harder. I could feel it. So I bit him harder, hard enough that it would have drawn blood on me. "Yesssssssss!" he hissed. My Vampire was a pain junkie! I moved to the other side and bit him there while I grabbed the first nipple and kept up the tension. Eric was panting and moaning above me, and finally he decided to take charge.

Quicker than I could think, he flipped me onto my stomach and got between my legs, pulling my hips back against him and sliding easily into me. Then he entwined his fingers with mine and began to pound into me like there was no tomorrow, reaching down and biting my shoulder with his fangs, which of course had come back out to play. I was still sensitive and a little sore from the morning, and the combination of the pain and pleasure sent me over the edge about two seconds before Eric pulled his fangs from my skin and roared at the sky. He thrust hard into me and froze, then did it again, and again, his hands straining with mine as we both weathered little shocks that mirrored my heartbeat and came back to me through the bond. I loved it when we were so fully in tune with each other!

Eric had left me bleeding and as he relaxed above me, he put his mouth to his fang marks and pulled on them a little before he sealed and healed them. Then he slid slickly out of me, causing us both to sigh, and gently turned me over. There was more blood on the front of my shoulder so he cleaned that up, then moved in to kiss me. I tasted my own blood as our tongues danced together, Eric easily taking the lead. His kisses were intoxicating and the world disappeared around us. There was only Eric, and I held him tightly, my arms wrapped around his torso, nails digging in as he moved over me and slid his way home again. When he was buried deep inside of me again he stopped kissing me to ask "Do you want to have my blood this way again?"

I was gyrating my hips around his cock with one leg thrown over his backside and I didn't stop. "Can we do it together like we did last night?" I whispered, kissing and biting his collarbone, which I had found to be very sensitive.

"I'm afraid I was too greedy when I woke," he said regretfully, beginning to move slowly in response to my gyrations. "If I take any more it will make you light-headed."

"I'm already light-headed," I smiled at him, and he bent down to kiss me again.

"Good, I like having that effect on you," he said with his trademark smirk, which I reached up to kiss off of his face.

We spent several minutes like that, lost in each other's kisses and touches. Eric moved slowly and gently inside of me, not looking for an orgasm at the moment. We just enjoyed the feel of each other's bodies. Then he reached over to his nightstand and pulled his knife out of the drawer. I didn't want to watch; I hated for him to injure himself to give me his blood.

"You know what to do," he said, looking seriously into my eyes. I swallowed and nodded. Then he took the knife and cut himself, deep, right above his nipple. I gasped, and as soon as I opened my mouth he pulled me against his chest and held me there tightly. I couldn't have pulled away if I'd wanted to. I sucked greedily at the wound, taking in as much as I could of Eric. I felt his cock swell inside of me and his thrusts became harder, more insistent, but measured and slow. As my tongue laved his nipple over and over again, he moaned and hissed and called my name. I held him tightly and got a little bit more into it, my teeth biting at his nipple hard, the way he'd wanted me to do it before. As soon as I did that Eric roared and thrust hard into me. I felt his cool release over and over and continued to bite him. He growled at me and ground against me, making hard contact with my swollen clit. That sent me over the edge, and I would have cried out, but Eric wouldn't release me from his chest until the wound fully closed. It took a long time to close, long after I wanted to stop taking his blood. I felt like I was taking too much from him. But when it did close, he barely gave me a second to breathe before he was kissing me hard, his tongue mimicking what his cock was still doing. I felt giddy, like I was suspended in midair and there was nothing but Eric holding me there. I cried and whimpered against his rough, almost brutal kisses, his fangs cutting both of us as we shared each other's blood. Then he slowed, his kisses were lighter and more tender, and he coated my cuts with his blood to heal them. We tenderly cleaned each other up, and then he moved away, his face only inches above mine. I wasn't sure what I saw in his eyes but I stared at him in wonder, fascinated with every line, every curve of his face. I brought my hand up to touch him, to touch his fangs, and he opened his mouth wider and hissed with pleasure. I poured every bit of my love into the bond, wanting him to know that he was it for me. If something happened and he was suddenly gone, there would be no other. None could ever compare to him. He was my soulmate. I felt his deep affection for me coming back, and it felt like love, but he had never said the words.

But I had to. "I love you so much Eric!"

He smiled and kissed me again. "My Dina," he said. Even if he didn't say it, I could feel what he wouldn't say through the bond, and it was enough. For now. It was easy to lie there and stare into Eric's eyes, but he had other plans. "Come, Lover," he said after a few more kisses. "Time to get up." He disentangled himself from me and rose to his knees, holding his hand out to me.

"Do we have to?" I asked, rolling onto my side and trying unsuccessfully to pull him back down to me. I even gave him my famous puppy-dog-eyes and pouty lips, but he was resolute.

"We have things to do this evening," he announced, finally picking me up in his arms and carrying me to the shower.

"We do?" This was unbeknownst to me.

"Yes. You are going to see Leila this evening." He had turned both sides of the shower on and turned around to pull me in with him.

I stood there, avoiding the water, while he closed the door. "I am?" Instead of reaching for me like he usually did when we showered together, he got under his own stream of water and began wetting his hair. "While you're awake?"

He turned me to face away from him and began to wind my hair around his hands, finally tucking it up into a shower cap that I kept there. I squeezed his fingers and smiled with gratitude for the favor. "There's no need to wash your hair right now. You'll probably want to shower later, afterward." He gave me a pointed look that told me I WOULD be showering again later. Great. Another "deep cleaning" was coming. "And I have to go out on business," he said firmly.

"You do? Where?" I asked without thinking. Then I froze, covering my mouth with my hands. I had no business questioning Eric on his activities! What would he say? What would he do?

He must have felt my chagrin because he embraced me from behind. "Dina, it is fine for you to be concerned for me. Let us just make sure that your concern doesn't turn in to nagging about my whereabouts." I relaxed, visibly, and turned in his arms. He held me for a moment before grabbing up my bath poof. "I can see that you aren't going to do this yourself." He said as he soaped it up and started washing my body.

About fifteen minutes and two orgasms later he laughingly chased me into the bedroom threatening to snap me with a wet towel. It was a shame that few got to see the playful side of Eric, but I knew how lucky I was that he would lower his guard so much. I was greedy enough to want to keep it all to myself. As I defended my knees against his attack I loved how he didn't cheat with his Vampire speed and strength, but just ran after me at my own speed, which must have been slower than a walk for him. Then he pointed his head at me and shook his long hair out like a wet dog, soaking me all over again. Finally he left me alone long enough to dry off, and I looked at him questioningly for something to wear. "Oh, right!" he said, and went into the back of his closet. I didn't really understand why he went to so much trouble to put my clothes behind lock and key. Maybe he didn't trust me yet. Didn't he know that if he ordered me to stay naked I would, or if he said "wear the red dress today" I would wear what he wanted? That was the way we, or rather he, had structured our relationship after all. I wondered how long before he would know that he could trust me.

He came back out with more clothes than I was used to, and definitely something different than what I had worn to my last appointment. It was a minidress, or at least that was what it looked like; it would come to mid-thigh. It had an open collar, tab sleeves rolled up halfway, and buttons down to the waist, where there was a thin silver belt. But he didn't want me to wear it as a dress apparently, because he also handed me a pair of skinny black leggings. They would look amazing hugging the contours of my legs, especially with the shoes he had for me. These were wedge-heeled black sandals with a cork heel and 2" platform. I would be almost 5'3" or 5'4" by the time I put them on, and I smiled enthusiastically at him. He smiled back, obviously happy to have made me so happy. The bond may as well have sizzled and sparked between us when we were both so happy with each other. Of course Eric had no underwear for me to wear, but that just meant that there would be no panty lines under the leggings. I wondered why he was dressing me so, well, thoroughly, just to go up and see Leila. He must be taking me himself, so I could have worn a bathrobe for as much exposure to outside eyes as I'd be getting. "Bring your brush out and meet me in the living room," Eric said, slipping into one of his tracksuits. This one was all black. The business must be casual, then.

I dressed as quickly as I could and took my brush out to Eric as he had asked. He loved to brush my hair, he often said. It felt so good! I returned the favor as often as he'd let me, but men aren't so keen to be primped. I just loved touching his soft hair and hearing him sigh with his eyes closed as he enjoyed my touch. I handed my brush to Eric and he sat me in front of him on the couch, gently pulling the tangles out. He was so much more patient with my hair than I was, and frequently told me not to be so rough with it. I guess living as long as he had would give you some patience for things like that. I got very comfortable and relaxed while he brushed, and before I knew it I had blurted it out. "So, will you tell me what you have to do tonight?"

He sighed and stopped brushing; the room became tense.

After about 30 seconds, I caught on. "You're going out to kill Bobby tonight, aren't you?" I said quietly, looking at my hands.

He didn't answer right away, but then he put his hand on my forehead and pulled my head up so that he could start brushing again. For some reason it didn't feel as good, but I let him do it. "Dina, the bond does not allow me to lie to you," he finally said, sounding tired and slightly annoyed.

I knew I should just keep quiet and let him do what he would, but I was a peace-lover. Violence, and murder specifically, was not something I could just happily kiss Eric on the cheek as he went off to do. "Can't you just glamour him, Eric?" I didn't turn my head because he was busy pulling my hair into a high ponytail with an elastic band. His hands in my hair became a bit rougher, pulled harder, but not much. It was enough to tell me that he wasn't happy about my question.

"He knows too much about my business, Dina," Eric said, his voice firm. "You can't glamour that much knowledge out of somebody's head. It leaves a big hole and they aren't normal."

"Then it would serve him right, wouldn't it?" I turned around to look at his face, now that he was done with my hair.

"Maybe," he shot back at me. "If it only affected him. But they tend to cause problems. Problems I would be blamed for!" His voice was starting to rise.

"So you glamour him to go to Siberia and stay there!" My voice rose along with his.

"There are Vampires in Siberia too, Dina." he said as though it was something a child should know. "I can not foist my problems on others." He stood up and walked to the center of the room, then turned to face me. "This is the way things are done in my world. I know you don't understand that."

He had done it again. I was sick of being told I was incapable of understanding something. I stood up to face him. "I am not stupid, Eric!" I said between my teeth.

He was getting angry. "I didn't say you were stupid!" he shouted at me. "You are human, and my world is still new to you! I do not expect you to understand, yet, how we do things!"

"Oh, and Vampires are so far superior to humans that you can't even consider my views?" I knew I was pushing it with him, but I had to at least try.

"Why do you care what happens to him?" Eric demanded, suddenly switching tacks. "Perhaps I am wrong in separating him from you!" Suddenly I felt jealousy and suspicion coming at me like steam from a locomotive.

"Eric!" I countered, crushed. "How can you even think that?"

"Then why do you want me to spare him?" Eric's fangs had come out, another sign that he was quickly losing patience with me.

Suddenly on the defensive, I couldn't let him think that I cared for Bobby the weasel. "I don't care about him _personally,_ Eric!" my voice had gotten high-pitched. I was way too emotional about this! "The killing is what I have a problem with! I would argue this way about anybody you were going to do this to!"

"Would you?" he said disbelievingly, staring at me suspiciously.

"YES!" I yelled back at him. "You just said five minutes ago, the bond won't let us lie. What does the damn bond tell you?"

He actually stopped talking and moving long enough to tune into the bond. "Fine!" he said through his fangs. "I am sorry for doubting you." He didn't sound sorry. "But regardless, this will be done my way, the way things have been done since before I was made!"

"Maybe it's time for you to set a positive example!" I suggested, my tone matching his.

Before I could take a breath, he was suddenly in front of me, picking me up by the arms and shaking me. "What is the matter with you? This man threatened you! He is lewd and disgusting!" He set me down roughly and turned away from me. I almost fell in the heels I was wearing, and there would be bruises on my arms later.

"All he did was stare at my boobs Eric! You won't let me wear a bra! If you kill everybody who looks at my chest that way, you're going to have to kill a lot of men, and probably a few women too!"

He turned, advancing on me threateningly. I stepped back from him, not wanting him to grab me again but knowing he would if he felt like it. "Oh, is that all he did? I forgot you don't know!" Now his voice was back to quiet, but this was even scarier because Eric got quieter, not louder, the angrier he was. My back hit the wall, and his hands connected solidly with it on either side of me. I was going no farther. I stared up at him, wide-eyed and silent. "Let me enlighten you." He was speaking as if to a child again, which infuriated me, but I thought it better not to interrupt him. "While you were getting naked during your appointment with Leila, your friend Mr. Burnham pulled his cock out of his pants and got himself off, all the while mumbling threats and slanders against you! Do you still want to protect him from me?" He raised his brows and stared at me, obviously waiting for an answer.

I was stunned. The bond was shouting out Eric's righteous truth to me and I had no reason to question him. "He did what? Oh my God, gross!" I blurted out, which apparently calmed Eric enough to back out of my face, but he still stood there with his arms folded, a foot away. I tentatively reached out and touched his arms with both hands. "I'm not trying to protect him from you," I said, his calm affecting me. "I mean, he's an even bigger pig than I thought, but I still don't understand why he has to die."

Eric sighed and closed his eyes. "And so we are back at square one," he said softly. He reached for me and gripped my arms in the same place he had before, this time only to pull me close to him. I flinched when he touched the bruises he'd made. "I am sorry for that," he said, rubbing his hands softly over the bruises. "I did not mean to hurt you." I nodded but didn't look at his face. He put his hand under my chin and raised my head. "And now I am putting my foot down," he said softly but firmly. "His life ends tonight. There will be no further discussion." I opened my mouth to reply but he gave me a warning look. I knew that look. If I persisted from here, there would be punishment. I pursed my lips and looked away. He brought my gaze back to him again. "You are a gentle soul, Dina. It is one of the wonderful things about you. I promised to shield you from the violence of my world as much as I could, and I will, but this is the way we do things. He knew the risks when he elected to work for Vampires. You can not prevent it. This will also send a message that nobody fucks with me and mine, most specifically you." I looked away again, my eyes prickling as tears threatened. Of course he picked right up on it. He pulled me close. "He is not worth your tears, Dear One. Do not waste them on him."

I didn't tell him that I wasn't crying for Bobby. I was crying for Eric, and how he had lost so much of his humanity. There was so much good in him that I could not hold this against him. And I cried a little bit for myself. For as I gave in to Eric about this, a little piece of my humanity went away too.

As I tried my best to control my emotions, Eric had more to say. "Where there is bad news, there is also good," he told me. I looked at him questioningly. "There is someone I am considering to take his place. We will go upstairs in..." He pulled his phone out of his back pocket and looked at it, "…about thirty-five minutes for you to meet him. If all goes well, I will hire him to take care of you when I cannot." He put his face close to mine, smiling, trying to reassure me. He was too cute for words, even when I was mad at him, so I gave him a small smile back. He seemed encouraged, and grinned broadly. Then he grabbed the belt I was wearing and unclasped it, reaching for the hem of the top/dress he had given me to wear.

"What are you doing?" I asked, putting my hand over his to stop him from pulling it off over my head.

"We must look at what I've done to your arms, and heal them," he said. I nodded, knowing that I wouldn't be able to stop him from healing me if I wanted to. He was very concerned about my health in general, and I could feel the remorse radiating off him through the bond. When he saw the purple marks that had already formed on my upper arms he leaned down and kissed each one. "I am so sorry." he told me again.

I decided to let him off the hook. "You didn't mean to. It isn't that bad, and we'll heal it. Nobody will know." I reached up to touch his face and smiled, my turn to reassure him now.

"I will know," he said glumly, taking my hand and pulling me to his big chair. When he sat there was enough room for me to sit between his legs, and he positioned me there. "As much as I would like to repeat what we did earlier, regrettably there is no time," he said, kissing my neck and brushing his thumbs across my nipples. I blushed.

"Eric, now they will show!" I complained as I pushed my breasts into his hands for more attention. He chuckled and continued to fondle them, now nibbling on my neck and earlobe and making me moan. "Do you want to have your new guy in trouble the first day?" I was only half joking.

"He may glance – after all, they are magnificent," Eric said, his voice full of sex, "but I hear he swings from a different tree." One hand had now moved between my legs and I parted them automatically for him.

"What?" I asked. Eric sometimes messed up current slang, another thing that I found adorable about him. I was more interested in what Eric's hands were doing than discovering whatever weirdness in his new day man Eric was talking about.

"Hmmmm, my hot little slut," Eric cooed into my ear, making me shiver. "I'd better satisfy you before we go or he might come back from the dark side at the sight of you!"

'Yeah,' I thought, 'and you want your scent both on and in me!' I leaned back and smiled at Eric, nibbling and biting his jaw and throat like I had done earlier. I heard his fangs click solidly into place and it sent fluttery sensations straight between my legs, where his hand still was. I kicked off the sandals and stood up to shimmy out of the little leggings. Eric helped me, kissing and biting my ass and my thighs as both our hands slowly pushed them down my legs. When I stepped out of them finally he threw them over his shoulder, and then he pulled me back down on his lap. He was still fully clothed, and it was a major turn-on for me to be naked with him like that. He reclined the chair and put out the foot rest, laid me back atop his chest and pulled my knees wide apart with both hands. An extra squeeze told me to keep them there. Then his bleeding wrist was in front of my face, and I grabbed it without hesitation. As soon as my lips touched his skin, his fingers went to work on me. I licked, sucked, and nibbled greedily, making Eric moan, and I could feel his hardness beneath my ass. I ground into him, trying to give him some of the sensation that he was giving me. He gently parted my lower lips, dipping his fingers inside of my soaking wet hole bringing them out to spread the moisture. But there was something different about his touch – a slight vibration that I wasn't sure if I was imagining. He teased me without mercy, his fingertip sliding around and around my little nub until I was squirming and whimpering against his wrist. He held it firmly to my lips, not allowing me to break contact even as I tried to turn my head to take a break. His touch on me became firm, his middle fingers inside me and fucking me hard while his thumb put pressure on my clit. It became almost impossible to hold my legs where he had put them, but I tried as hard as I could to obey his silent command. Pressure was building up in my core and I squirmed and bucked wildly against his hand. He was relentless, still pressing his wrist to my lips even though I felt the cut closing. And just as I was about to go over the edge – he stopped!

He pulled his hand and his wrist away at the same time, leaving me cold and unsatisfied. But as I shivered, we changed positions faster than I could think. Suddenly I was on my back in the big chair, reclined all the way back, and Eric was over me, kissing me hard and holding my hands above my head. I ground against him, wanting him inside of me, but again he had other ideas. He squeezed my hands where he held them, kissed me one last time, and ordered me to leave them there. Then, in another of his lightning-fast moves, he was between my legs. I knew what had felt so different about his touch then, as he showed me a harness that he had put on the back of his hand. He opened a little snap compartment and pulled out a little silver, vibrating, egg-shaped device. He gave me a wicked grin full of fang and slid it around my clitoris a few times, then moved it down and slid it inside of me. The effect was instantaneous! As Eric pushed it deep inside of me, I felt his lips on me, sucking my little hood into his mouth and bringing me right back to the edge where I had been just a moment ago. Eric's tongue should be registered as a lethal weapon! He moved it around and around, just as he had done with the vibrator, holding me at the precipice but never letting me go over. I held my hands above my head as he had ordered but couldn't help but try to close my legs against the torment he was giving me. For that I earned the sharp scrape of his fangs in between my lower lips as he held them wide open. I could feel him licking my blood from the cuts he had made, and all the while the vibrator was buzzing away inside of me. The pleasure-pain was almost too much to bear! Finally he gave his attention back to my aching clit, and this time he didn't fool around. He used his teeth to peel back the hood and applied his tongue, hard, directly against the tiny bud. The world exploded in a massive burst of fireworks, and I would have come a foot off of the chair if he hadn't held me down. "Eric!" I screamed. "Aaaaaahhhhh! Oh my God! Stop! No don't! Oh God! Eric! Eric!" The last were tiny whispers as his touch gentled, but then I screamed again as he turned his head and bit into my thigh, just inches from where the little vibrator still buzzed away inside of me. I felt Eric's fingers reach in and touch it, then his finger moved in a circle and the vibration slowed but didn't stop. As he pulled at the bite, he left the vibrator where it was and put pressure on my clit again. Every muscle in my pelvis tensed and then quivered to life as another deep orgasm took away my equilibrium. I felt as though I was floating somewhere in the darkness, again with Eric as my only companion in a world full of ecstatic sensation. By the time I came back to earth, Eric was licking his bite to stop the bleeding, but he didn't heal it.

He reached inside and pulled out the little vibrator, then he moved over me and kissed me again. His mouth and tongue dominated mine, and I ground against him and wrapped my leg around to caress the back of his thigh with my foot. He growled at me, and then brought the egg to my mouth. I opened it without being asked, and he smiled approvingly. He smoothed it around my lips, then whispered "stick your tongue out, Lover." When I did, he rolled the egg around on my tongue and I tasted myself, gazing starry-eyed at Eric and loving the affection I saw reflected there. When he was satisfied with my cleaning job on the egg, he kissed me deeply and slid into me at the same time. I moaned and opened myself wide to him. He began to thrust hard and deep, and I was conscious of the time, so I squeezed and released him, over and over. "Oh, Dina, that's good! Yessssss!" he hissed. I reached up and bit him hard on the neck and felt his dick swell inside of me. He growled again in response and grabbed both of my hands, which had strayed to his neck and the back of his head, and held them down. He lowered his body atop me so that I wasn't bearing his weight, but was pinned & couldn't move much. Always the dominant, my Eric!

"Eric! Oh God you feel so gooooood!" I breathed at him, rubbing my head against his shoulder as he held me.

"As do you, my Dina!" he said huskily. Then he breathed in and gasped, and his thrusts became harder, more measured. His muscles stiffened and his mouth opened wide, his fangs prominent and beautiful. "Aaaaaaahhhhhhhh!" he moaned, thrusting harder into me, so hard that he could almost split me in two! And then he was roaring at the sky as he released his seed into me. As I felt it, cool and soft, enveloping everything inside, that sent me over the edge with him and I moaned, crying out his name as I gasped for air, my climax sending my heartbeat into overdrive for a moment, before a luxurious feeling of relaxation overtook me and I lay still beneath him. He seemed to feel the same thing; once again the bond hummed between us, calm and quiet and satisfied.

"I don't want to go, Eric!" I told him sincerely. "I just want to lay here with you inside of me"

He gave me his beautiful smile and chuckled. "That sounds wonderful, Lover, but we must go."

I nodded, tears threatening again as I thought of what he was going out to do. "Promise me something?" I asked him.

He was instantly wary. "Go on," he said.

"Be careful? I want you to come home to me safe, in one piece."

"That, I will promise, Dear One," he responded, giving me a soft kiss and laying his forehead against mine for a moment as we stared into each other's eyes. I wasn't getting what I wanted, but I realized that if I wanted Eric I had to accept the bad with the good.

We got up, and all Eric had to do was straighten out his pants. I had to get dressed again. But Eric had accomplished what he'd wanted, or so I thought. I was full of him, inside and out. His blood, his semen, his bite mark that only Leila would see, and he'd certainly touched every part of my body in the last half hour. This new man, who I was about to meet, would be an idiot if he didn't know that I belonged completely to Eric. And suddenly I understood Eric's poor attempt at slang. "The new guy is gay? Is that what you were trying to tell me?" I asked him.

He looked at me like I was completely clueless. "It took you this long to figure that out?"

I blushed, embarrassed. "Eric, sometimes your slang is hard to understand."

"That isn't my fault." he laughed. "We have a few minutes. Let me fix your ponytail." He sat me down on the coffee table and stood behind me, and within two minutes my hair was perfect enough for him again. "Are you ready?" he asked. I guessed I was as ready as I was going to be, and I nodded. He reached out for me, and together we headed for the door.

I held Eric's hand up the stairs. The lighting still stunk. He still promised to get it fixed soon. I was really nervous about the rest of this house if other parts were worse than this. I was a little excited about moving – so to speak, since we would still come here. I remembered my first move, which was terrifying. I had lost count since then. Sometimes it was still a little scary. There is an alien feeling to being in a home you know had others in it.

This move wouldn't feature that. I was going with Eric to one of his homes. I was sure before he got it everything was 'sanitized' so to speak. And after the remodeling, I was sure the only feel of the house I'd have was of Eric. And I was going to be just fine with that feeling.

We got to the next door and Eric punched in the code. I kept a hold of him as we got out through the false wall, into the closet, and out into the office. I was ready to let go of his hand, assuming he didn't want the close contact outside of our 'living space', but he didn't let go. We walked to the living room and he sat me on the couch. He took his seat on the adjacent reclining chair. Across from his was an identical chair. The furniture formed a triangle with a coffee table in the center. I guessed the new day man would sit across from him. I doubted Eric would put him on the couch with me, even at the far end.

"Remember, I want you to act as you would in front of other Supes. This man is very highly recommended, but I've only worked with him briefly. He doesn't need to know how deep our relationship runs. You may be a pet, but hold some status as you are bonded. You may be much more. He doesn't need to know more than to be respectful of you, even if it's only respect as you being my property."

I nodded. I felt the pit of my stomach drop a bit. Eric's world scared me more than I liked to admit. The idea that some humans were only property and that I was/could be viewed that way made me very nervous. And insulted. But I thought my fear was stronger. I didn't think Eric was savage and he was very cultured and intelligent. Yet, everything about him and his world was so much more violent than me. I was not ignorant or easily shocked anymore – not after so many years of not being sheltered. But I was idealistic and not accepting of violence. I didn't like Eric killing Bobby. I didn't like capital punishment at all. The thought that others could kill or harm Eric if I made a mistake terrified me to no end.

"Lover, I will always protect you." Eric reached out and took my hand, which was clutching the arm rest with a death grip. "Calm yourself. You are perfectly safe." He sent waves of calm at me through the bond and I looked up at him with my mouth gaping open. It had instantly calmed my nerves! I didn't know he could do that and wondered how else he could influence me.

"So …what exactly is this Bonded thing? I get the feelings. I kinda get the connection. But what does it mean?" I wanted to know how safe I would be.

Eric sat back and looked pensive. I actually tried to sort out his feelings. I definitely felt his confusion or uncertainty – he was really trying to find words. Everything was a blur between what I felt and what he felt. Were we both anxious?

"Alright," Eric said; he obviously came to a conclusion. "If you feel something is sacred, can I assume all other humans feel the same?"

"No." Okay I was getting him.

"I know you understand where I'm going. To many of us, our Bondeds are sacred. Humans we bond with have value above all other possessions and have a status separate from the rest of their race. There was a time when this concept was believed everywhere a Vampire would travel to… But there is another thought. The human is obviously valued. The blood is sacred. But they are still only a pet, an asset. The bond is used to hold them, not to elevate them. Many Vampires even use the bond to control the mind of the human completely, making them not much more than a robot. It is still rare to bond to a human you don't have affections for, since you feel their feelings. It can be taxing."

I stopped to absorb this. "Am I… taxing?" I borrowed his word.

"No. We are Bonded, in the most sacred sense of the word. There is much affection between us. Anything we share is worth its struggles. As I told you last night, there is nothing that is secret between us or unwelcome."

I blushed, remembering that I peed in front of him. I saw him smile, with the little tug on the left corner of his mouth that usually came before a chuckle. But before the noise escaped his mouth, I heard the door knocker sound four times in rapid secession. Eric turned to the door. The knocker was pounded once more.

"Enter."

The door didn't just open. As I watched the locks turn, I realized this person had a key. In walked a man about 5'7, dressed in dark jeans and a black form-fitting T-shirt covered by a blazer. He closed the door and stood there a moment. He was probably in his early to mid 30s. Definitely human from his tan. He was solid, but not overly muscular. I couldn't lie, he was a hunk! I hoped Eric wouldn't do anything because I thought the new guy was cute. I couldn't help it!

He glanced at me, but his eyes focused on Eric. I wondered if he thought poorly of me too. Here we go again.

"Mr. Northman." He nodded his head in what I assumed was a respectful manner. I noticed his accent right away. It sounded Scottish or Irish. And kinda hot. I couldn't keep this train of thought in my head. I didn't think Eric would approve of my little passion for another man's accent.

"Have a seat." Eric said, devoid of emotion.

I watched this new guy move and tried to catch a feel for him. Eric seemed to alternate between watching him and watching me. The quiet was killer. Once we were seated, Eric waited a moment to begin. It felt like a few minutes, but in retrospect I knew it wasn't.

"As you know, this is unorthodox. I am in need of a day man and don't have time to spare. If this arrangement works, I fully intend to keep you employed long term."

I was forgetting to breathe again. I didn't want to make a sound or miss one moment of what was going on. The new guy nodded at Eric's words. He sat with very nice posture. He seemed quite relaxed and calm. That seemed weird to me. Maybe he didn't know the last day man was about to be killed tonight. Poor guy.

"I have already sent you instructions outlining your duties. Tonight might seem simple, but if anything goes wrong, your services will not be requested again. You will be escorting my Bonded to her stylist appointment upstairs. Her stylist is here already and should be ready by the time I leave."

Eric ended up his speech and the new man nodded again. "Yes, sir, that sounds reasonable." Hot. The accent was definitely hot. Eric nodded, seemingly satisfied with his reply.

"Dina," I immediately turned and looked at him. "This is Sean Michael Cameron. You will call him Sean. I hope you two get along well." I WOULD call him Sean. OK then.

I looked toward him as Eric spoke, but didn't know how I should reply. I gave a slight tilt of my head. Eric went back to introductions.

"Sean, this is Dina Marie. She is my Bonded and I value her above all else. I'm entrusting her care and well-being to you while I attend to a business matter." He used his Sheriff voice. I could pick up the threat under his professional words. Eric was going to kill someone tonight for not seeing well to my 'care'; Sean needed to be careful.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Dina Marie." Sean replied kindly.

"Nice to meet you, too." I replied, a little softer than I usually spoke. I glanced briefly at him and gave a small smile but immediately returned my attention to Eric.

Eric seemed pleased. He cupped my chin and turned me to look at him. "Have fun at your appointment. Try to relax. I'll be home as soon as I can."

"I will, Master." I replied. I thought I did a good job being his pet in front of an audience. He stroked my cheek affectionately and I tried to seem very enthused by the attention. I hoped he saw the love I felt when I looked at him. He leaned in and kissed me warmly. I touched his cheek as he did this; he reached up and squeezed my hand. The implication was clear. 'She is mine and I care deeply for her.' Eric didn't need to say it out loud. Sean tilted his head as he observed us; I wondered what he was thinking. Eric rose and Sean did the same. They met in the middle of the room.

"We will be just fine, Mr. Northman." Sean said confidently.

"I sincerely hope so." Eric deadpanned; once again I caught the slight threat in that statement. It was certainly hard to balance this cold killer being my sweet Vampire, the same one who had nuzzled me so adorably this evening looking for his breakfast.

I watched him walk out.

Eric POV

I touched down onto the roof of what looked to be one of those fly-by-night auto upholstery shops that stuffs your seat with shit and closes down before you come back to complain. I double-checked the address in my phone. An old tenement across the street bore the correct number. This was where he lived? I paid him better than this! What the fuck did he do with his money? It wasn't any of my business, anyway, and I didn't plan to pay him another cent after tonight.

I was frustrated, agitated, and wanted to get this over with. My argument with Dina earlier didn't sit well with me. She didn't want me killing for her. Actually, she didn't want me killing at all. I am Vampire, however, and it is part of my nature. I had a reputation to uphold, and you didn't fuck with me or mine. Burnham knew that I'd had eyes on him for at least part of the day in question. He thought he'd gotten away with his actions that day and could continue now that he thought I'd shown him where the cameras were. I would not allow him to insult or intimidate her again, and he would not get the chance to coerce sex out of her in exchange for keeping quiet when Dina had done nothing wrong. Sookie had had similar treatment from him on the few occasions I'd sent him to do something for her. I'd turned a blind eye to it then. Sookie wasn't mine. She wasn't relying solely on me for protection. But Dina was. I could no more ignore a threat to her than I could the half-truths she'd told me about that threat. It was my duty to her to take swift action to remove the threat from her life. She was a modern woman, not raised when I was human. She did not believe that she needed a man to protect her. No matter. I was human in a time when men did look after their women and provided for them in all ways. She accepted my care; she would accept my protection in whatever ways I chose to give it. There would be no discussion about it. I had already made this clear when she had tried to argue with me.

My potential replacement for Burnham seemed to have gotten off to a good start. He hadn't tried to flatter me or gain favor in any way. He had simply accepted his assignment and carried it out. He didn't know that even now I watched his every move. My smart phone was tuned into my network at home, and I could see him standing outside the door of the room where Dina was with Leila, his back to the door. He hadn't tried to listen to them or find a way to watch. His eyes were constantly moving, even in a place of relative safety like my home. He had shown proper deference to Dina while keeping the focus on me, his employer. If this behavior continued I would hire him permanently and pay him more than I had paid Burnham. I could afford it and money made people loyal to you. I would let him become friendly with Dina so that she would trust him. If I chose to hire him permanently I would explain all of this.

I checked the time again. Nearly 10pm! I wanted this tedious business over with. I didn't actually plan to kill him myself. Pam and Rasul had that honor. I was only going to deliver him into their hands. I did not want his blood. I had my Bonded at home and my pact with her was sacred. To take the blood of another was to sully my relationship with her. I would only do it if she were too ill or otherwise incapacitated to feed me long enough that I would require nourishment. She did not understand the full nature of what was between us. I would have to explain fully soon.

Thinking of her now made my cock hard again, even though we'd already had sex multiple times this evening. When I had woken to find her next to me, soft, warm, and willing, I was nearly overcome! For a few seconds she had been in danger of her life, but I had been able to control myself – just barely. Then she had tried to get under me while my fangs were in her throat. If I had allowed that, we might now be laying in the ground together while she became Vampire. Holding her beneath me, pinning her there with my cock and my fangs, it brought out urges in me that if I weren't so old would be impossible to control. The urge to take, to dominate, that was fine. It was the urge to drain, to procreate, that was the problem. I loved her warmth, her blushes, the beating of her heart, but she was so vulnerable to so many things! She could get sick and die of a disease that my blood might not be able to cure. Anything could happen to her during the day while I rested, and I could do nothing about it. I wanted her by my side for eternity, strong and invincible like me. I had not bonded to Pam before I turned her, and we were lovers for only a short while after. Pam was my child. Dina would be my progeny, but also my eternal companion, my lover. Pam was free to leave me when the urge struck to be on her own. Dina would never leave me. Our bond would not allow that, but more importantly, I would not allow it. She was mine!

A car pulled onto the block and I hid myself behind a large pipe. It was a dark blue BMW – the same kind of car I knew he drove. It stopped and a gate opened, leading to the underground parking garage below his building. As he pulled in slowly, he did not see three figures streak past him – myself, Pam, and Rasul. We could have broken in easily, but a broken gate might have aroused suspicion. There were no other entrances to the garage except for the pathway that led to the elevators going up. We would not allow him to get that far.

I quickly hid myself in the shadows of the pathway and waited for him. I heard him get out of his car and set the alarm. There wasn't another soul around. This was perfect. As he started to head toward where I was secluded, I could hear the stumble in his step. The foul scent of alcohol and cheap cigars assaulted my nose as he drew nearer. The fool had been drinking. All the better. It would hinder his attempt to escape.

He staggered around the corner and I stepped out, blocking his way. "Hey, watch where you…" he started to say, and then he looked up. He stumbled backward and made an awkward bow. "Master!" he slurred. "My apologies sir, I didn't know it was you! How good to see you tonight; you are looking well!" I used to enjoy his flattery and bull shit but now it sickened me. "What can I do for you Master?" Burnham slurred at me.

"Burnham, I have something to discuss with you. It concerns my Bonded." I told him coldly.

"The redhead?" he said rudely. "Miss, um, Diane, I mean?" He couldn't even get her name right. "Lovely girl, really! Congratulations on your bonding!" He bowed and almost fell over. I was ready for this charade to end.

"Yes, that's the one," I responded. He would not meet her again but the least he could do was remember her name. "You see, she means more to me than anything. ANYTHING," I enunciated. He nodded, listening closely to my words, no idea where I was going with this. "And, I entrusted her care to you, Burnham. This is where we have the problem."

"Uh-huh," he replied, still with no idea that he was in any kind of trouble. I smelled no fear on him at all. He was stupid to become overly confident with me like this.

"You behaved inappropriately, Burnham," I said, taking a step forward. He stood his ground a few feet from me. "Her tits are lovely aren't they?" The moron had the nerve to smile at me and nod. "You took a good look didn't you? In other words, you ogled my property!" I took another step, and this time he backed up, now starting to feel a bit uncomfortable. He had begun to sweat profusely. "You threatened her when she did nothing wrong." Another step, and he backed up. The tone of my voice had not changed; I was cool and businesslike, using my "Sheriff" voice. "When you weren't allowed to stay in the room, you tried to listen through the door." Another step. He stepped back, finally becoming a bit fearful of me.

"I am sorry Master," he said, swallowing nervously. "You're right. I did do that. I-I-I will be glad to apologize to the girl, um, Diana, if you wish." He bowed again.

"No, Burnham, that will not be necessary, for you will not be meeting with her again." I took another step, and his face went white. He backed up two steps but still seemed to think he could salvage the situation.

"You don't wish me to escort her again?" he asked, now sounding quite sober.

"No, I do not. You see, Bobby, I do not take kindly to my employees masturbating in my hallway!" Another step, and he backed up two more. "I do not take kindly to people calling my Bonded a slut or a bitch! And her name is Dina, you idiot! Have you ever listened to a word I've said to you?" I continued to advance, and he continued to back away. "To put it simply so that you can understand, Burnham, you are fired!" His eyes widened as he finally sensed the gravity of the situation.

"I- I- Is- Isn't- Isn't there anything I c-c-can d-d-do to ch-ch-change your m-m-m-mind?" he stuttered at me, still backing away from my slow, stalking steps.

"No, and you will not be needing a reference!" I glared at him coldly, choosing this moment to let my fangs drop while using my most menacing voice. If it was possible, his face got whiter. His steps quickened as he backed away from me, and then I reached out for him, not really intending to grab him, but only to get him to turn around and run. He did just what I wanted, and I smelled the stink of his urine as he pissed himself running from me.

"Help! Anybody! H-" His cry was cut off abruptly. Pam stepped out of the shadows, holding the doomed and struggling vermin easily and covering his mouth. Rasul appeared next to her and grinned. I nodded and gave them the signal to proceed, but did not stay to watch. I turned swiftly, exited into the open air, made sure of my surroundings, and took to the air. I had more important things to do. My Bonded would be waiting for me at home, fresh from her visit with Leila. I planned on discussing her facebook contacts with her before the night was over, and I was still unsettled by our earlier argument. She shouldn't have questioned me. I would not hand down a formal punishment, but she would learn how I felt. She would regret it and perhaps would take better care with her words the next time. I had just eliminated a threat from her life and now I felt neglected, disrespected. I would admit it; I was hurt. I had bonded with her, brought her into my home, and put all of my other activities on hold to care for her and acclimate her to her new life. She no longer had any worries beyond what I wanted or needed. Nobody would be allowed to threaten, hurt or reject her ever again. She would always have food on the table (as long as she was human anyway), a roof over her head, more money than she could spend in a thousand lifetimes, and my everlasting affection. We would see what she was willing to do to acknowledge my efforts for her and make me feel better.

Dina POV

Sean and I were left in the empty room. I wondered how I should act without Eric here. I searched my mind for some direction or clue I missed. I finally remembered Eric stating tonight was more practice and he wasn't sure if he was keeping Sean permanently. I decided to keep quiet and act like I was only a 'pet' and not (apparently) a sacred Bonded.

"Are you ready to go?" He asked me politely.

"Yes." I stood and smoothed my dress out. He didn't move until I was next to him. He went out of his way to keep an even pace with me as we walked. Better than Bobby making me stalk him. Sean had little issue with some of the poor lighting up the stairs and in the hallway. I wondered for a moment why that was. I was struggling to see in front of me in certain areas. He glided with ease but noticed how careful I was being with my footing. He pulled a small flashlight out of his back pocket and shone it on the floor ahead of us. "Thank you," I said sincerely, giving him another small smile. I wanted him to know I was grateful but not seem overly friendly. I was still unsure of exactly how I should act. I didn't have time to keep silently examining Sean as we came to the room Leila used for our appointments.

He pulled out a phone and looked at it for a moment. He then knocked on the door. I guess he wanted to see if we were on schedule. He went back to the phone and began to text someone. It didn't take him long and I tried to stand as though I had purpose. These heels were very different from my typical barefoot style. Leila opened the door a few seconds later.

"Sean, late on your first day. This isn't looking good!" She teased him.

I was taken aback. Leila knew him?

"Forgive me; it is my first day after all. I'll let you two begin since we're behind." He winked at her.

"You ready, Dina?" She asked with a smile.

"Yes." I replied tersely and stepped into the room. She closed and locked the door behind me.

"Alright, let's make you beautiful, darling!" Leila said enthusiastically.

"What's putting you in such a good mood?" I asked curiously.

"In general, it's just a good day. But it's much better to have Sean than that parasite Mr. Northman had before."

I stopped at her words. That parasite was about to be exterminated. It might be happening right now. I wondered if she knew, but then decided she must not, or she wouldn't be so callous in speaking of him. Even if she didn't like him.

I thought I felt a little sick. Once again, it wasn't Bobby as an individual. It was the whole murder thing. I didn't even kill bugs when I could avoid it. I was so not a good hippie living with someone who killed so easily.

I noticed I was quiet and Leila was staring at me. I realized I had potentially made a mistake. I couldn't get into this conversation. I couldn't reveal any of Eric's secrets. Vampires were so secretive.

"Dina," She began with a heavy voice, "I'm not here to overstep my bounds and I urge you to talk to your Master about everything." She paused either for effect or to form her sentences. "But you need to know Mr. Northman cares about you. I've worked with him a great deal over the years and he has never been so involved with or particular about anyone he's brought to me. This world is harsh. Do not pity Burnham. He knew the consequences of his actions and the ins-and-outs of this world he chose to work in." Okay, she did know. I didn't know what to think about that.

I nodded, afraid of what to say. She was right. Bobby had probably helped Eric kill. And no matter how unforgiving he was being, Eric would never hurt me. I trusted him.

"I'm just adjusting."

I couldn't believe I was adjusting to violence. Lord, what was wrong with me? Where were my principles? I had turned my back on all of that angry aggressiveness. I grew up with death penalty fans. I grew up with military men. I was done with it all. Yet, here I was with a man who was killing someone for threatening me.

I rubbed my eyes and cleared my head. I had all the time in the world to think about this, but right now I had to focus on my appointment.

"So what are we doing today? The same?" I asked, not excited about the stomach pains I endured last time.

"No, we don't have a perfect schedule worked out yet. Things will change once you move into the other house and especially once Mr. Northman is ready to go back to work on a regular basis. We will probably meet about three times a week and alternate between long days and short sessions. Today will be short. We'll give you a quick clean up and pack you with some vitamins. I'm going to start giving you a shake soon for your health after Mr. Northman discussing it with the doctor. I'll glance over your appearance and see if we need to adjust anything. You ready to begin?"

"Yea…Why does everything feel like it's moving so fast?" I had to voice this thought out loud. I had been a student, but now I was a submissive to a VERY dominant Vampire. I was working, but now I did no labor unless it was for Eric. I controlled my life – as unruly as it was at times – and now I answered to Eric for everything. We had a home I was beginning to like and now I was moving. I never did anything overly girly and here I was meeting with a stylist two to three times a week! I was getting a migraine.

Leila smiled sympathetically. "You'll catch up…. You can go in the bathroom. There is a robe in there for you."

I nodded and went into the little bathroom. I stripped and hung my clothes up carefully. For any problems I had with Eric's tastes, he dressed me nice when I went out and met others. I slipped on the robe and came to sit on the exam table.

"Alright, as I said today will be quick. So you'll be happy to know you won't be one gallon fuller of liquid. I want to clean you first and then review your appearance."

"Okay." I replied, feeling glad we weren't doing the Full Monty today.

"Unlike last time, I'd like you to jump down and bend over the table. There might be mild discomfort, but it will be over quickly."

I nodded. I wasn't looking forward to the discomfort however mild it would be. I wasn't as embarrassed this time. Probably because we did it before and because of how I was living with Eric. I was slowly getting used to being exposed.

As always, Leila was professional and gave me warning before she proceeded. After Eric's fingers, the end of the tube didn't hurt that much. I had a feeling I was going to be experiencing said fingers again tonight. I was getting nervous about Eric's plans. Even sex with him the first few times had featured some stretching and discomfort. And I was no virgin when I met him. Not to mention, that this particular hole had to be taught to stretch and didn't do so naturally. I, regrettably, had time to think about this as Leila readied me for Eric's plan to take my virginity.

I didn't have the same cramping and pain as last time, but still didn't know why some people did this regularly. I had read that Gandhi did this nearly everyday. At least I now had the same activities of a peace-nik, even if Eric was infringing on my peace-loving views.

Before I knew it, Leila ushered me into the bathroom. I turned on the water and she shut the door. I needed the privacy. I tried to force away my nerves about having anal sex and my conflicted views about the killing that was going on right now. I stayed a few minutes longer to compose myself.

I came out with a small, forced smile. Leila was reading from a folder, but stopped when she heard the door open. "All ready?" She asked, with her chipper smile.

"Yes." I went and hopped back on the table.

"Alright, Mr. Northman is still debating on what to do with your hair. He promised me an answer soon. Bad thing about a man as old as he is… his time standards are so different than mine." She rambled at the end.

I laughed. A month must have felt like a day to Eric. Unless he wanted something; then he didn't seem to want to wait a moment.

"I'm going to wash your hair. You can sit down and get comfortable."

"Sweet." I loved how Leila did my hair. She made my scalp so happy and used the most amazing conditioner I'd ever had. My hair was doing so much better with Eric's blood. It was less damaged and fuller. It had begun to curl once more. After years of dye, it had gone positively straight and flat before Eric got a hold of me.

I tried not to moan as Leila began her shampoo massage. We didn't speak as my head was under water so often. Once she finished, we wrapped my head in a towel. She told me to go hop back up on the table and she'd join me in a moment. I walked back to my spot and sighed. This wasn't so bad.

"Let's work on some of your tough skin and see your nails."

I held out my hands and cocked my toes in the air. She looked over my hands first.

"You chipped the polish already, huh?"

"Yep, I'm not good with polished and pretty nails."

"I see that."

I bit my lip to suppress a giggle at her facial expression. She then hunched down and looked at my toes.

"Wow…you didn't just chip them. You broke the nail pretty good on the right big toe…" She carefully examined each toe.

I was embarrassed. I didn't want her to know I broke it and messed up the polish during my punishment. I didn't want Leila to know I misbehaved. I didn't want her to know our relationship involved discipline and punishment. I still felt really bad for making a mistake. I knew Eric wouldn't approve of how much this was affecting me.

Leila looked up at me and I felt myself blush more.

"At least your Vamp heals you after things get… rough."

How did this woman know these things? I just nodded and didn't say anything.

"What's that on your leg?" she asked suddenly concerned, touching my inner thigh, but then smiled as she got a better look. "... marking his territory, is he?" Leila laughed. I realized I had kept my legs spread (your welcome Eric) and she saw his fang marks. I rolled my eyes.

"Yea, he's got a knack for that," I told her. She laughed. "So do you know a lot of Vamps?" My curiosity was getting the better of me.

"I do." She smiled, but didn't reveal anymore.

"Are they all this possessive?"

"Possessiveness is a Vampiric trait. It is intensified at times, such as when the human and Vampire are bonded. Even more so when there is genuine affection. But Mr. Northman tends to be in a league of his own on such matters."

"Ah," I replied intelligently. I wasn't very surprised by that. "Has he had a lot of other humans? Do you know if he bonded to anyone else?"

I was nervous about her answer and about whether I should even be asking this.

"I do not know of Eric keeping other humans. There have been humans he paid special attention to and some he's seen on more than one occasion, but he doesn't have a reputation for keeping pets. I doubt he's bonded with anyone. But if you really want the answer, you need to go to him."

I nodded. I caught the seriousness in her tone. She wanted to make sure I was communicating with my "Master." I thanked her and she nodded. We were back to business.

"Alright, I'm going to clip and file the broken nails. I'll get you the iPod, since you hate the sound. Then I'll touch up the polish. We'll do the feet first."

She went and grabbed me the 'pod. I graciously thanked her and left one headphone half out of my ear, so I wasn't completely tuned out, but still wouldn't hear that god awful noise. I leaned back and she situated herself to fix up my toe nails. I listened to some Everclear and other '90s hits while she worked. She tapped my leg to get my attention when my eyes closed. I turned off the music.

"I'm going to finish with your feet. We're going to fix this skin of yours! You spent too many years on your feet." She said, sounding determined.

"Thanks." I replied and smiled. She was already reaching for her tools. She went right to work and I put the music back on.

I jammed out as best I could without being able to move much. It was nice to listen to music and run through my thoughts without becoming overwhelmed. The music and knowing I had time to think without having to rush to another activity, helped me to relax. I still had conflicted feelings, but… maybe I just had to let things play out.

I couldn't save Bobby, nor would he be someone I would stand up to Eric over. I knew when I lost and I knew what was worth fighting for. My little attempt to prevent violence had cost me enough already.

It was becoming easier to take things bit by bit. Every day I had things to do and some things to look forward to. I had no real worries about my future. There were no financial pressures on me. I was going to start classes again once I was settled – a good incentive to finish training and get my punkass settled. For the first time in a very, very long time I was focused on the now and not so much on the later. I felt so free. It was amazing to deal with little conflicts and issues as they arose and not worry about ones down the road.

Leila moved on to my hands. I knew she was wasting the polish; I would inevitably chip them later. She finished with them too fast in my opinion. I was enjoying my music time. She asked if I had any concerns I wanted to discuss or anything I wanted to bring up to Eric. She winked and told me, he might be more responsive if we 'teamed up' on him. I laughed.

"How about shaving?" I asked.

"Sweetie, I said he MIGHT be responsive… but I doubt we can aim that high. He's pretty adamant."

I sighed. "Yep, he sure is. It's not terrible."

"As long as Your Master is happy, its fine." She replied confidently. "You mustn't worry about society's norms when they have no bearing on what is between you and him. There's nothing to be embarrassed about if he enjoys you this way."

I nodded. I could see why Eric hired her for this job. "But then I come to see someone like you who is part of the greater society, and that's where my embarrassment lies." I wanted her to understand so maybe she'd help me.

"I am here to serve you, as it were. Embarrassment in front of someone like me is misplaced," she said. "But I will mention it to him since I see how strongly you feel. Now the last thing we have to do. You need some vitamins. Mr. Northman is also adamant about your health. Why don't you take a seat by the table for this one?"

I moved to where she wanted me and waited while she pulled out the vitamins from her bag. She had a lot of them. I was a little surprised and then dismayed that some were large 'horse' pills. She reached in her bag and grabbed a bottle of water. Then she started to divide the pills and push them toward me.

"Vitamin B-12, vitamin A, calcium, vitamin D, and iron pills. We're going to have to make sure you have enough iron and vitamin B-12. It works better if taken daily, I'll write that up in my report. Just take them while I clean up and we'll dry your hair. Then I'll send you on your way."

"Okay." I replied looking at all the pills in front of me. There were two of each, except for the vitamin A which only had one. I started to force them down my throat, namely the huge calcium pills. I was going to ask Eric about getting me the expensive tiny ones or the ones that dissolve under your tongue. If he was insistent on spending money on me, it should benefit my sore throat. I finally took the last one and went into the bathroom to get dressed. I just left the robe hanging where I found it and put the towel on the adjoining hook.

I came back and Leila had plugged in a blow-dryer. She ushered me to the chair and began to blow and brush my hair.

"We're going to have you look very pretty when you go back to your Master. What does he prefer, up or down?"

"Down." Eric loved my hair to be flowing. I preferred it up and out of the way.

She began to brush it down and straightened it with the brush. It looked good. Even though my hair was generally straight due to damage, it was frizzy and some parts would flip up. She made it look perfect. I checked myself in the make-up mirror she handed me.

Leila walked me out and hugged me before she opened the door. "See you soon," she said, smiling. I smiled back.

"You too."

Sean was ready and waiting. He looked carefree and happy. Now that I could get a better look at him without Eric's eyes assessing my every move, I noticed that Sean had beautiful hazel eyes which were brown with gold flecks drawing toward the center. The corners of his eyes crinkled very cutely when he smiled, and his lashes were longer than mine! His light brown hair was cut very short but I could tell that it was naturally curly. His ears stuck out past his thick hair, another endearing quality about his appearance. I bet he hated that. His lips were full and very kissable. Oh god, I knew I better stop right there! If Eric got even the slightest feeling that I was this attracted to Sean, poor Sean might be toast! I didn't want to seem rude, so I gave him a small smile. "Thanks for taking me tonight, Sean. I'm sure Eric will be pleased," I said quietly, making sure that I mentioned Eric. Pleased? Had I ever used that word before? I wanted to roll my eyes at myself but couldn't in present company who might not understand.

"I'm very happy to do so, little lady," he smiled at me. "Are you ready to go back to him?" When he mentioned Eric I smiled broadly and nodded enthusiastically. Eric was the most important person in this conversation as far as I was concerned and I wanted that made clear. He smiled back, and then Leila got his attention.

"Sean, make sure Mr. Northman knows that our tardiness is your fault." Leila said smiling.

"Of course, my dear." He turned to me, "After you!"

"Thanks." We actually turned at the same time to start back, and again he shined a flashlight on the floor for me.

Leila waited until we began to walk away before shutting the door. Sean and I found a pace and walked off. I could feel Eric as we walked down the corridor. We came down the stairs and I saw him sitting in the same chair as before. I began to walk ahead and away from Sean, hurrying to Eric's side. Eric's head came up and his eyes scanned over me. He didn't show any emotion – good or bad. My smile faltered a little and I looked at the ground.

"I trust everything went well, Mr. Cameron?" Eric asked calmly.

"Perfectly," Sean replied.

"Wonderful. Dina, take a seat." He smiled at me, before turning to look at Sean once more. "I will be asking for your services tomorrow. I've left a detailed list in your inbox. If there are no complaints by the end of the week, I'll hire you full time and we will discuss a yearly salary."

"That sounds wonderful, Mr. Northman. I'll be leaving you with your Bonded. Goodnight." He looked briefly toward me, but didn't address me directly. I think I liked Mr. Sean Michael. He still found a way to pay me a little respect without addressing me and breaking protocol. Eric nodded and waved his hand, obviously dismissing him.

As he walked out, I noticed something I missed. The door automatically locked when he closed it. I heard it click. For good measure, I watched as Sean put the deadbolt on with his key from the outside of the house. Obviously, he had to use more than that key to get in. I didn't know to open those locks. They looked interesting. I was sure they weren't very complex, but even after looking them over I still couldn't figure out how they worked. I didn't have time for this mystery as Eric jerked me from my thoughts.

"I want you to sit here and not move from your spot. I need a word with Miss Nasrin. I will not be long." Eric commanded me.

I had a feeling moving from this spot would be a very bad idea. I was completely unsure of Eric's mood and unable to get any information from the bond. He moved up the stairs at Vampire speed. It really wouldn't take long. I filed Leila's last name away, glad I knew it.

I was going to let go of the 'Bobby thing'. There was no need to rehash it. Besides, Eric would want to look me over and probably have some mind-blowing sex. He also sounded a bit peeved and I'd rather calm him and not fight again.

He came back down and walked over to me. He took my hand and we walked back downstairs. When he shut the door behind us, and we were in our underground home, he pulled me back against his chest. His arm held my waist and his nose sniffed my neck and hair. He sighed contentedly.

"Breathtaking… I missed you. Go to the washroom. Strip. I want you in our bedroom, presenting yourself to me in the next 5 minutes."

He released me and patted my butt as I walked off. He missed me? That made me feel really good, especially after being unable to pick up on his mood. I picked up the pace since he only gave me 5 minutes. I quickly hung up the clothes and peed like a race horse. I knew I had to hurry. I glanced in the mirror and speed-walked to the middle of the open space in the bedroom.

I lowered myself to the ground and remembered the position. I bent my knees and spread my legs & feet wide apart. I lowered my upper body, put my palms flat, and touched my forehead to the ground. I waited. I knew sometimes Eric wanted me to wait. He wanted me done in 5 minutes so I had time to wait. I was learning about how he operated.

"Very Nice." His voice startled me sooner than I expected. I heard him circle me slowly but kept my eyes down. He finally stood behind me and I knew he was enjoying looking at me on display for him. "Stand up and bend over the bed. I want your knees and arms straight, legs apart."

I stood and complied, moving to the side of the bed. It wasn't comfortable. I tried to hold still, but wanted to move to a more comfortable angle. I felt Eric's hands, brushing my hair off my back and feeling its smooth softness.

"This has been straightened. Did you ask for that?"

"No, Eric. Leila asked how you liked my hair and when I told her, she straightened it for me."

"Hmm… very good." He praised me and I felt his approval through the bond.

His hands worked down my back, over my bottom, and to my legs. "You still dislike your hair don't you?" He said referring to taking my razors away. Leila must have told him.

"At least I'm warmer." I tried to joke. But I wanted to be clear about my feelings so I answered directly. "Yes."

He said nothing and I shivered. I wondered what he was thinking. I tried to probe our bond and came up with nothing. I wondered if it was me being unschooled or if he was blocking me somehow. He moved back up my body, both hands smoothing over/across my exposed pussy, his fingers trailing slowly and deliberately between my cheeks and up the middle. The upper part of my butt crack behind my tailbone was very sensitive and I couldn't help but squirm at the light and gentle touch. He paused in his movements but didn't say anything. I was glad he didn't make a big deal out of it but wondered when he would. I knew him.

"What else did Leila do?" His hands now rested at my waist, his thumbs toward my spine and his fingers curled around the sides.

"She fixed my nails, washed my hair… straightened it. And she… cleaned me."

"Where did she clean you?"

"Umm…" Oh god he was going to make me say it. Fuck. I tried to find a way around this. "Internally."

"Internally. Your mouth?" He asked.

"No." I thought I hated him. Really wanted to kick him.

"Where?" He asked again, his voice demanding. He must be really getting off on this!

"My… butt." I whispered.

"I see. How do you feel about that?"

"Fine." I bit out.

"Just fine?" He asked, standing behind me with his hands now on the front of my hips, gripping my not-so-prominent-any-more hipbones. I had not had access to a scale but could tell I had gained a few pounds. Eric wanted "more meat on my bones" as he said. He was getting his way.

I sighed. "I know you wanted it –" He stopped me with a hard pat on my right hip.

"I didn't ask about what I wanted or how I felt." He said coldly.

This was becoming harder for me. I wasn't sure what he wanted from me or why he was acting this way, unless he was angry with me from earlier. With difficulty, I used a calm and reassuring tone for him. "I know. I'm fine doing it for you. Personally, it's not enjoyable and can be painful."

"Do you understand the purpose it serves?" He asked.

"Yes." I replied. Eric said nothing. "You want to have anal play and eventually take my virginity. This will make it …less messy."

I knew this for a long time. But somehow saying it aloud had an affect I didn't expect. This was one of those moments were things felt very real. I was a sub/a slave getting ready for my Master to claim an untouched part of my body as his. I felt vulnerable – more vulnerable than I had ever felt. Eric was not going to let me hide anything. He would reopen every door I had ever closed, every wound I had ever healed, until it was all out there for him to see. He would use the information to make me completely his in every way possible – mentally, physically, sexually, psychologically, emotionally, looking to him for everything that I would need, think, and feel for the rest of my life. It was only a matter of time, and I only needed to trust him to do good with what he learned, give me what I needed, maybe before I even knew I needed it. He would not use it to hurt me; this I knew, but it didn't stop me from being scared. I was so afraid, but turned on at the same time. I also worried about the physical pain that I knew was unavoidable. He was so long, and so thick! If we weren't careful he would tear me apart from the inside, and even if he didn't it would probably feel like he was.

"Dina, tell me what you are feeling. Relax your body." He used his hands to let me know that I could now bend my elbows, and his knee tapped the back of mine to give me the same go-ahead there.

I let my knees bend and dropped the upper half of my body. Eric wanted my full disclosure. "I'm… nervous. I know it will hurt. I'm scared of how much it will. I love being yours, but it's scary to be so vulnerable. Its not that I don't trust you… I do. I trust you so much. I'm just not used to not being in control. Am I making sense?"

He began to roll his fingers over my body. It felt nice and was comforting.

"Of course. You are new and inexperienced. You are out of your element when it comes to these things. I will make sure to ready you well for our first time. I know it will be hard for you to not control things. Sometimes I think you overcompensated – becoming a control freak every time you felt worried or stressed. I'm taking that coping mechanism from you. Now you must focus on your trust for me." His hands moved back to my hips and he gave me a slight push toward the bed, silently telling me that he wanted me to move onto it. I did as he told me, remaining in the "presented" position for him until he turned me sideways so that I could lay flat on the bed. I still kept my legs parted for him.

He straddled my hips and began to rub my back, his fingers magical on my tense muscles. "Thank you Eric," I sighed gratefully.

"I will be right back. Don't move!" he ordered. He didn't have to worry. I wasn't planning to. He came back with a clear, unlabeled bottle of something. He squeezed out some on to my back and it smelled really good. It must be some kind of massage oil because it slicked up his hands and then started to warm my aching muscles. "I will use tonight as an example," he began. Okay, the massage came with a lecture. I could deal with that. I acknowledged his words with a nod of my head and he went on. "His behavior toward you was unacceptable." I knew exactly who Eric was talking about even if he didn't say the name. "It was my duty and my honor to remove the threat from your life, but when you couldn't change my mind about my methods, you became upset. Even though you said you weren't trying to control me, subconsciously you were, because that's the way you've handled things in the past. You've had to take charge somewhere before when you didn't want to, and it set the pace for the future."

How did he know these things? He was right! I'd had to take on the family finances when both of my parents got sick at around the same time. At a time when I should have been out learning to drive and choosing prom dresses, I'd been forced to sit at home, monitor their care, and decide whether or not we could pay the car payment this month. Sometimes you feel so out of control when you can't stop things. I think that led me to try and exert control when I could. I remember telling doctors and nurses what to do after enough trips to the ER taught me protocol. There was a fine line between assertiveness and being a bitch – I walked that line often.

I was always independent and only had to become more and more so as time went on. It was all I knew. I was beginning to drudge up memories I'd rather not think about.

Luckily he didn't seem to want me to talk about it right now, although someday I knew he probably would. "You have me now, Dina. You must trust me to care for you, to read you and give you what you need. You cannot close any part of yourself off to me. Otherwise I will make many mistakes and you will no longer have a reason to trust me. Your trust is the key to making this work. Do you understand me?"

I paused before answering him, and I knew I had to give him more than a nod of my head. "Yea, I think I do Eric. It's hard for me right now because I haven't had anybody like you for years. I took care of myself. But I promise to always tell you the truth and I'll try not to make you pry every little thing out of me. You just have to tell me what you want because I don't always know. Does that make sense?" I was nervous making this promise to him but knew for the sake of our relationship I had to try.

"Tell me who makes the decisions here. Who is in charge?" he demanded in The Voice. We were moving into dangerous territory now.

"You, Eric. Always you." I responded sincerely. "But tell me if you need my help, okay? I don't want to be completely useless here."

"You are far from useless, Lover," he said. "As a matter of fact, there is something I want from you now." The Voice was still very much in evidence, but he had added just a hint of sex.

"Anything, you know that!"

He smoothed his palms and put pressure with his fingers once more over my entire back. Then he moved off of me, turned me over, and sat me up, taking me in his arms. I wrapped my arms around his waist and settled my head on his chest, feeling safe and comfortable. He held me like that and we rocked slowly for several minutes. Now I could feel the bond, and I sensed that Eric needed this closeness right now just as much as I did. "I am still disturbed by our argument earlier. Does it matter to you that I did this to protect you?"

"Of course it does Eric! While you were gone I did some thinking and realized that I have to accept even the things I disagree with to be with you, and I do. Nothing is more important to me than you." I tried to channel my feelings to him through the bond but didn't know if I succeeded.

"This is true?" he had to ask, looking directly into my eyes.

"Yes." I held him even tighter but kept my eyes on his. "Feel the bond, Eric."

"I do feel it, Dear One," he said. "But I want more. I need you to show me."

"How?"

"Come with me."


	23. Contacts with EPOV

_Quick Note: Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed. I tried to reply to some of the reviews, I've been perfecting the next few chapters in a rush to post them! Please vote on the poll on my profile._

_Remember: only a few of these characters are mine, the rest are respectfully borrowed. This story has adult situations and is not for everyone._

**Enjoy!**

* * *

He scooted us to the edge of the bed, stood up, and reached for my hand. I took it without hesitation and followed him into the living room. He sat down and helped me to my knees in front of him.

"I want us to do two things. One you are familiar with and the other you will begin to get used to. " He explained and I nodded. He stood up and I moved out of his way. He leaned down and pulled out the chest from the night I was punished, from under the table. My stomach dropped. I didn't think I'd like what was in that box. He put the chest on the table. He first pulled out the pair of handcuffs I was getting to know so well. He placed them down near me. He then pulled out a metal pole. I began to get very wary. He then pulled out two more poles, each with a cuff at the end. He looked at me for a moment and put the first metal pole back in the chest and shut it. Finally he attached the remaining two poles together so that there was a cuff at each end, looked at my body, and adjusted the now-single pole until it was a length that he seemed to like.

"I'm going to cuff your hands and spread your legs apart. You have been doing well keeping them open for me. I'm not restraining you because you are in trouble. I'm doing so because it pleases me to do so. You have given me your body. I'm choosing to limit how much the body I own can move."

With that, he moved to restrain me and I let him. I didn't really like being tied up – I'm too controlling. Once again Eric was right, I had agreed to this. I should have been used to the handcuffs by now. I hated those things. My hands rested comfortably by the small of my back. He put the bar between my knees. I guessed the other metal piece could have made it longer and it would have gone between my ankles. He then went back and reopened the chest. Oh god, what else?

He pulled out a leash and my eyes got wide. I looked at him accusingly but before I could say anything he spoke. "I know you do not like this. We discussed using a leash as a serious punishment in public. There will be no public humiliation tonight or any other night without serious cause. I will put this on you now, because I can and want to and because you are mine. If you truly dislike it, I want you to remember that it could one day be used as punishment in a public setting. This experience might help you behave."

His clear words almost made me cry and my chest began to get tight. There _was_ humiliation in this – although not public. I already feared one day being punished publicly like this. "Shh, you are fine little one." Eric interrupted my thoughts, sending calm feelings at me through the bond and stroking my cheek with his fingers. When he moved to chain the leash to my collar, I didn't fight. But I didn't lean in for him either. I wasn't going to help. He held the handle loosely and sat back to look at me. I was on my knees, leashed, and restrained. He looked pleased and very aroused. He began to tug the leash and I was forced to move my head forward. I came with in an inch of his crotch. I needed to stabilize myself and he gave me time to find a steady stance with my bindings on. I had to kind of shuffle forward with the bar between my knees and it was awkward.

"What are you going to do for me? What do you think I want from you?" He asked.

"I'm going to suck your cock. You want me to suck you." I replied automatically. Eric seemed to be getting off on explicitly talking about the things we were going to do. Part of me was too, but it was hard to admit that sometimes. He had that sadistic light in his eyes that he often got, and that told me he was also getting off on my discomfort.

His fangs popped out. "Can't I have a little more enthusiasm from you?" he demanded. "Whether you approve of my methods or not, everything I have done tonight has been for the purpose of keeping you safe!" I raised my eyes to his in surprise and then I felt what I had seemingly tuned out ever since he had gotten home. His words were angry but his feelings were hurt! I felt it now as though it was being shouted at me. How had I missed it? I had been so busy wallowing in self-pity because he had used those awful handcuffs and put a leash on me that I hadn't considered him at all. It was a very strange dynamic that we had between us. This little humiliation that I suffered was also a huge turn-on if I would admit it. So I had no reason to be mean to Eric. His angry words belied his vulnerable feelings. Even as he asserted his dominance over me he needed my reassurance.

"I don't know what to say Eric," I told him softly. "I know you hate apologies." His eyes were blazing at me and now I understood his desire to humiliate me tonight. I leaned in and rubbed my cheek against his thigh. "I love you," I breathed at him. "Will you forgive me?"

He shivered and thrust his hips forward, anticipating what he now knew I wanted to give him. "That's much better," his voice had become softer, huskier, and he licked his fangs. "Now, I want you to start slow and work on taking me to the back of your throat. Be mindful of my leash, I'll tug on it and help direct you." He was back to being Master. "I might put my hands in your hair again. You know I won't cut your air off. Are you ready to show me your love and submission?"

"Yes." I whispered. He slipped his wrist through the handle of the leash and used his hands to release his cock. He was so hard it looked painful. His head already had precum seeping from it. I leaned forward and placed my lips against him. I kissed him gently. I moved over a quarter of an inch and kissed again with a bit more force. I moved again and added a touch of my tongue. I tasted him and he moaned. I looked up and he was watching every move I made. I let my tongue snake out and swirl around his head. I felt him tighten the leash.

"Good girl… kissing time is over."

I leaned down and took him in my mouth. I started off slowly by sucking him and only taking the first comfortable 2 or 3 inches. I kept up for a few minutes and then went for more. I didn't let him past the beginning of my throat. He was moaning and playing with my hair. I kept going and made sure to use my tongue on him. I felt the leash tighten and him tug at it.

"I want you to have more. Inhale on 3, I'm going to move my hips." He told me, holding my head in place with the leash. His other hand came to rest on my head. He didn't allow me to object. I felt fearfully but remembered our conversation – I trusted him. It might feel bad, but it wouldn't harm me. "1, 2, 3."

I inhaled and his cock pressed to the back of my throat for a few seconds. I didn't choke. He let it slip back, but kept the tip in my mouth. I tried to breathe out of my nose. It was hard to get used to. "And again."

I didn't want to do it again, but when he got to 3, I took him again. This time he held me still and my eyes watered. The next time I coughed and gagged. He let me lean back.

"Its alright, lover. This happens sometimes. I want us to find a rhythm. Don't worry about the tears or compulsion to gag. Try to hold back the urge – you aren't being choked, make your mind tell your body that."

I looked at him and nodded. There was no malice in him. He began to tug me back to his cock. I took him in my mouth again and began to rub my tongue on his frenulum. He let me pleasure him for a bit before we searched for a rhythm where he tested my throat.

It got better, but my eyes still watered and I fought the urge to throw up. I gagged around his cock. His hands in my hair became rougher and more insistent as he held me. I wanted this to finish, but he kept going for a while, showing me what he enjoyed most. I knew I needed to learn to do this automatically for him without his coaching. He finally loosened his hold on my hair and the leash.

"Very good, little one. Now you can finish me off how ever you please. I want to watch you swallow my cum, make sure you look in my eyes when I cum in your mouth. I'm not going to warn you before I do it."

I shivered at his words and quickly went to work. Within a few minutes, I felt him getting close and heard the noises he made get louder. I looked up and caught his eyes. I stopped sucking him, suddenly lost. The intensity there shocked me. I regained my senses and went back to my task. I only closed my eyes after the first rope hit the back of my throat and his eyes closed. He roared his release. I took everything he gave me and kept his cock in my mouth, sucking out the last few drops.

"I'll never tire of you taking care of me this way, Dear One. And you only seem to be improving. I'm going to help you on to the couch and we're going to discuss the people you know."

I enjoyed his praise. In some ways, I was really becoming a good slave/pet. I wanted him to tell me how well I did, even if all I did was suck him off. I couldn't see myself as one of the fangbangers at Fangtasia who actually became someone's pet, not just a meal, and enjoyed having their heads rubbed like a dog. If we ever did that, it would be me acting the part for the sake of appearances.

Eric lifted me to my feet and steadied me. He helped me twist my body and fall back on to the couch. He offered me support as I found the most comfortable position. He rose and grabbed my blanket. I smiled as he helped me cover up. It was chilly when you were naked. "Stay here." He commanded and walked away.

I almost wanted to say something snippy, since my hands were cuffed and my legs were equally immobilized, but decided against it. I didn't need another punishment right now. He came back carrying his laptop and set himself up beside me.

"I have access to all of your social networking sites. I also have your e-mail address book and have taken the liberty of having your paper rolodex typed up for me. This should cover just about everyone. I know some people are related to you by how you categorized them or referred to them. Some I'm not sure. I'd like to know your relations and if you are not related, what type of relationship you have." He paused to look me. "Contact with certain people will be terminated or highly supervised. I'm not interested in people lusting after what is mine."

I didn't like where this was going.

"Don't you trust me?" I asked.

"This isn't about trust. It's about how we look and how I feel. It doesn't look well to have my human associating with men she's taken to her bed. It makes me jealous to think men who want to bed you will have the opportunity to flirt with me. I don't want anyone to even look at you and think about your body. We are not negotiating this. This is how it will be."

His voice was hard as steel. I stared back at him, considering my words carefully. "We need some compromise. I submit to you ; I'm not a robot."

"Nor do I want you to be. But this isn't a matter we can compromise on. Before you think of asking me to let you associate with anyone you fucked before, you also need to consider their safety." Wow. No beating around the bush there. "Now let's discuss your contacts."

I nodded, biting the inside of my cheek. Why argue about a broad topic? I was saving my fight for specific people, absolutely sure it was going to have to come down to that.

"First I tried to arrange everyone by friend or relative. But I couldn't figure out which main category to put certain people in or how exactly they were related to you. Can you see the screen?"

He tilted the laptop and I turned my head. "Yes."

"So far, is everything correct?"

"Yes." I kept looking. He had the name, home address, and contact information of everyone in my family.

"Now what about these people? I think they are your kin, but I'm not sure how they are related to you." Everybody on the list he was now showing me was considered family, but not all were related by blood. I had to give him credit. He had ferreted out everybody; not all of these names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses had come from my information. I wondered if he'd thought I wouldn't notice.

"Well do you want the technical terms or how I see them?"

Eric looked at me like I grew two heads. "They are your family or not."

"Not necessarily. Some are only related by marriage, some are cousins of my cousins but consider me a cousin because of our mutual relation. And my cousins' children call me 'auntie' because I'm older – just as my Aunt Kelly is really my cousin, but since her kids are older than I am, she's more an 'aunt' than a cousin. And Greg isn't really my cousin, his mom and mine were besties and I called her 'auntie." I stopped explaining and looked at Eric. For the first time, my Vampire seemed to be speechless and baffled. I wondered if he'd had these kinds of dubious family relationships when he'd been human. It was hard for me not to laugh, but he was taking this very seriously and I didn't want him to feel disrespected. But, if he could have seen the look on his own face! Priceless!

"Okay. I see that it is more complicated with you… In general, though, these people are more family to you than anything else? Is that right?"

"Yep."

"Now, out of the people who are not your blood kin, is there anyone here who you've ever thought of in a romantic or sexual way?"

"No, they are my family."

"Now I will turn the tables. Is there anyone here who has ever thought of you in a romantic or sexual way, whether you returned the feeling or not?"

And there goes the king of loopholes, tying up all of his. "No…" I thought about how my cousin's ex-husband and I flirted. It was always joking – for sure on my part!

"Dina." His voice was near a growl. There was the damn bond again, tattling on me. He knew I was leaving something out.

"I've goofed around - verbally - with some people not blood related… but it was only joking."

"I see. Are you certain?"

"As much as I can be."

"That answer does not satisfy me, Dina!" he said in a hard voice. "I am trying to determine whether or not any of these people are a threat to me, and…"

I couldn't help it. I had to interrupt him. "Eric! Threat? Are you kidding?" He was definitely unhappy that I'd cut him off so I hurried to explain. "Nobody is a threat to you. NOBODY!" I enunciated each syllable. "How can you even think that? You really don't trust me do you?" I felt like crying and I really wanted to hit him up side the head. Maybe he'd been smart to tie my hands.

He folded down the laptop cover and looked at me, reaching out to touch my face. "It isn't you that I don't trust." His voice and eyes had softened. "I don't want to put you in a situation where you might have to fend off unwanted advances in my absence. Someone I can't banish completely from your life can be controlled if I know I have to control them. That is why I need to know how each and every one of these people feels about you."

Tears were still threatening, wetting my eyelashes. I looked down. He reached for me and pulled me into his embrace. He held me like that for several minutes while I got my emotions back under control. I knew that we were just getting started, though. My nerves would be jacked by the time we were done. "What would you do to control someone like that?" I asked softly. I had to know before I exposed anybody to it.

"A meaningful glare during introductions," he said honestly. "Taking them aside and letting them know that I know about what happened and it better not happen again. And there's always glamour if I can't avoid it."

"You wouldn't hurt them?"

"Not unless they did something improper," he promised, still holding me close.

I believed him. "OK then. There was some silly back-and-forth, like I said, verbal only. My cousin's husband. James Parrott." I turned red, embarrassed. "It was just joking. We did it in front of her sometimes. She knew."

I couldn't tell what he was thinking by the way he looked at me. His face was a puzzle to me. He eased me back to where I'd been sitting before he'd pulled me into his arms, turned the laptop, and started typing something. "Thank you for trusting ME," he said, then paused long enough to lean in for a lingering kiss. I thought we both felt better by the time he pulled away. "Can we go on?" He asked gently. The only way to satisfy him would be to answer all of his questions, and dawn would come eventually. I sighed and nodded. He adjusted the blanket where it had fallen and uncovered my breasts, then opened the lid back up and searched a few seconds to find the place where he'd left off. "And in this picture… is this boy your cousin? He looks very friendly with you for being your kin." Eric showed me a photo from my Facebook.

"He is a cousin by marriage. And he's very drunk in that picture. We were all hugging for the camera. It's not sexual, it's just inebriation."

"And what else did he do while he was drunk, besides hug you in this picture?"

"Spent the majority of the evening with his head over the toilet bowl." I replied, on the edge of being cocky.

"So this is not someone I should ever consider allowing to drive you after a night out?" Eric's next line.

"Eric, I'm older than he is. He's a baby to me and he showed that by drinking like a goof that night. He's happy with his girlfriend on their campus, over 1000 miles away. He's not a 'sexual threat' nor would I drive with him if he was that drunk." I nearly scoffed at this idea of a 'sexual threat'. I understood Eric's reasoning and his overprotectiveness after Bobby, but I still thought this was overkill.

"You are assuring me that everyone on this list," and he showed me the list again, "is part of your… extended family, then? There is nobody here who would ever try to compromise you? And the 'back-and-forth' with Mr. Parrott was harmless?"

I took a good look, just to be sure. When you said something to Eric, he considered it to be gospel and he had a perfect memory. "Yes, Eric. These people are my family that I hope you will want to meet someday soon." I hoped my hinting wasn't that obvious.

"Let us move on to the men in your life who you admit are not part of your family." He said blandly. Admit? What did he mean by that? He made it sound like I was on trial for something! Was I stupid enough to think I wasn't? Of course I was, now that I thought more about it... because as far as he was concerned I'd either humped everyone I talked to or they wanted to hump me. Oh, and forget about innocent until proven guilty! I was guilty by reason of someone finding me hot! I cursed Bobby Burnham to the fiery depths of hell for causing this overprotectiveness in Eric. But, then again, Eric was more possessive than most Vampires according to Leila. Not all of this was Bobby's fault.

"I am going to start with the ones you have had the most contact or conversation with, or who you have more pictures of than others."

He showed me a list he composed and we went through it. Once again I noticed that he had way more information than I'd had, like extra email addresses or home numbers in addition to the cell numbers they'd given me. I admitted that some of them liked me. I promised him I didn't reciprocate the feelings. He felt the truth through the bond – especially when I recalled how I upset I was when one of those friends tried to kiss me. The rude act nearly ended our friendship. Eric took down every word I said and named several names, telling me that I was not to ever contact them again or respond to any contact from them. The people on this particular list weren't that important to me so I agreed without protest.

"Let's move on to this young gentleman," Eric said sarcastically, raising his eyebrows at the word "gentleman." He made a couple of clicks and a picture came up on the screen. I wanted to dive under the blanket when I saw it. The picture was from last halloween, me with a guy named Buzz. We'd gone dressed as a pirate captain and his fair maiden captive. My dress had been torn in strategic places to up the sex appeal. The picture depicted me on my knees before him. In one hand he held up plastic chains that had been attached to my wrists, forcing my hands above my head, while his other hand was cupping his junk. The pirate was about to show his captive exactly what he wanted from her. I could feel how hot my face was - it must have been beet red! Eric stared at me with his eyebrows raised, an expectant smile on his face that did not make it to his eyes.

It didn't help either that there were several other guys in the picture all making rude gestures at the camera, like they were waiting for their turn. They had come dressed as "crew." We'd planned out the costumes as a group, thinking it was hilarious at the time. A few of the guys had also brought their girlfriends, dressed similarly to me, but none of those girls was in this picture.

"Where did you get that picture Eric?" I whispered. There was a much more respectable-looking picture of Buzz and me at that party on my Facebook page, but I hadn't posted this one.

"I have my sources," he said quietly. "But I am not the one who has some explaining to do here, am I?" Uh-oh! Eric was getting quiet. I had come to fear his whispers more than him yelling.

"His name is Buzz," I told Eric, staring at the laptop's keyboard. "We dated. For a while." I wasn't sure how much information he wanted, but apparently it was more than that.

"I was aware of his name, Dina," Eric asked me, all business, his Dominant voice starting to show itself even though he was speaking softly. "Why is he called that? Buzz." He said it a couple more times as though trying to sound it out. "And by the way, let me be very clear about this. I will not be angry with you for liking or being with other men before you had me, but I do expect you to tell me the absolute truth. Leave nothing out. If you lie, or tell me half-truths like you did with Bobby, I will punish you. If you disliked that punishment, you will surely love this one." He meant that sarcastically, obviously. I swallowed nervously.

"How much detail do you want Eric?"

"I will ask you specific questions, and I expect complete answers."

"Alright…. we dated. Not very long. It was Halloween. …just a joke."

"How was that a joke?" He waited and I didn't know how to answer. "You don't seem to like _me_ putting you in revealing outfits and chaining you up."

"Eric, it was a costume; a character. And the chains were plastic! Halloween with a bunch of friends lets you get wild. The other girls had similar outfits and some more revealing than mine."

"I still don't see how that makes it okay. You humans – one night makes you act like someone you aren't and you feel it's perfectly fine… I am not going to allow you to see this "buzz" again."

"Fine… we hardly talk anymore. I'll tell him goodbye as soon as you give me my computer."

"No." Eric said calmly.

"What do you mean 'no'?"

"You will not have any contact with him again. Ever."

"But Eric, I have to…"

"NO, Dina. N – O! And do not give me some pathetic excuse about hurting his feelings. I do not care about his feelings."

"And what about mine?"

"You still have feelings for him? Did you lie to me just now?" His eyes watched me closely looking for any sign of deception.

"No! I don't want to see him again but I can't just disappear! He will wonder…"

"HE will wonder?" Eric demanded. "I thought you said you did not care for his feelings!"

"Will you stop twisting around everything I say?" I finally yelled at him. His eyes were huge, and angry, but I had to speak my piece. "I'm not the kind of person who just walks away without a word. I have to say goodbye! I need to tell him why or he will think…"

"Once again, I do not give a flying fuck what he thinks!" Eric snapped. "You do not have to do anything, and you will not contact him again. Do I make myself clear?" I hesitated, staring at him. I couldn't believe how cold he wanted me to be. "DO...CLEAR?" he demanded again, enunciating every syllable in his quiet and deadly tone. He had leaned forward and his face was an inch from mine. My hands wanted to put distance between us, but the fucking cuffs kept them in place. His fangs had dropped at some point, further proof that he was upset. I had no choice but to give in.

"Alright, Eric," I said tiredly, refusing to meet his eyes. "You make yourself perfectly clear." I wanted him to know that I wasn't happy either. He picked up my chin with his fingers, forcing me to look at his face.

"I get that it does not feel right to you, Dear One," he said softly. "But you do not need the distraction during your training. It is time now to focus on us. Will you do that for me?"

When he put it that way I felt bad. He was giving me all of his time and attention, and I was worried about some old boyfriend. I decided to give him the full disclosure he wanted. "His real name is Jared," I told Eric. "His friends have called him 'Buzz' since high school because of some funny haircut his mom gave him. We met at school and dated for three, maybe four months. I had sex with him a few times. I haven't seen him since November, a few weeks after the party in that picture. He went back to Atlanta, where most of his family is from, after his grandpa died. Our emails just kinda tapered off. I don't know if we would've seen each other again or not when he came back. I wasn't in love with him or anything." I raised my eyes to his, the message in mine being "the way I love you." I didn't say it out loud though. I hoped he knew.

He smiled and kissed my forehead. "Thank you," he said, happier than he'd been a minute before. "Was that so hard?" I didn't respond. This was going to be a long conversation.

Eric switched to another program he had open and typed something, his fingers flying so fast that I couldn't make it out at all. Then he switched back to the document with all of my information. "Now I want to know about this one." He showed me a picture of me, in a tankini, being held bridal style by a very tall, very tanned, very buff guy. I couldn't help it. I giggled. Eric wasn't amused. "What is the giggle for?" he wanted to know.

"That's Evan," I told him. "He's a lifeguard. I've known him like forever. We grew up near one another. He used to hang out with my older cousins."

But this wasn't the kind of information Eric wanted. "When was the last time you fucked him?" To his consternation, I busted out laughing. He gave me the biggest "you'd-better-have-an-explanation" look I had ever seen, which made me laugh even harder. But I felt through the bond that he was gearing up for another angry outburst, so I nixed the laughter.

"I was just remembering the last time I saw him," I told Eric. "I had a little accident - a nip-slip, and he put both hands over his eyes and cried like a baby!" I giggled again.

Eric looked like he was only just barely holding on to his cool. "Great." he said without the slightest bit of enthusiasm. "Just exactly what is a 'nip slip'?" He said it like it was a foreign language. "And why would it make a man that size cry?"

I realized belatedly that I hadn't told Eric the punch line. "Eric, Evan is gay!" I couldn't help but laugh again. "A nip-slip is when your boob falls out of your outfit accidentally. You know? Nipple-slips out?" Eric was lousy with current slang.

His eyebrow went straight up. "Your breast fell out of your clothing in front of him?" I nodded. "Then what did he do?"

I decided that full disclosure meant the gay friends too. "We went to his cousin's wedding reception together. His cousin is a royal bitch, embarrassed that he's gay. Said he couldn't come if he brought a male date. Evan's friends with her husband though, and he was one of the groomsmen. He asked me if I'd go with him. We were out on the dance floor and I had a backless dress on. A little two-year-old ran out and plowed right in to me, and I fell right on my ass!" I laughed again, red-faced and remembering. "Evan got down to help me up and noticed what had happened. That was when he covered his eyes. But after a second he came to his senses and by then I had covered up. I don't think anybody else noticed; they were all busy dancing and drinking, and making sure the little kid was okay. Nobody even offered to help me up except Evan."

I laughed again, remembering and shaking my head. Eric was actually smiling at this story.

But then his expression turned cloudy. "Dina, are you sure he is gay?"

"Gayer than a three dollar bill, why?" I asked.

"I read his emails to you."

I burst out laughing again, earning a heavy frown from Eric. "That's just our thing, Eric!" I explained. "We've been doing that for years. Who really says 'I want to straight-marry you'?' I would never really say those things to somebody I was into. I know you read all my emails; did I talk that way to anybody else?"

"No, you did not."

"See? Don't worry about him Eric. He's harmless." And then I got another idea. "Do you think Sean has, you know, somebody?"

Eric looked uncomfortable. "I have no idea."

"Can I ask him?" I knew Eric would want to know if I was going to talk to his new day man about something like this. "Please Eric, will you let me? Evan is so nice, and Sean is cute, and…"

"You think Sean is cute?" Eric demanded, jealousy flooding the bond as he frowned at me.

"Please don't hurt him Eric! He is cute! His ears stick out too far but he has pretty eyes."

"I am not sure if I approve of your looking at my day man's eyes!"

I was flattered to have made Eric jealous but didn't want him to hurt Sean. "Eric, I'm a grown woman. I have eyes. I don't look at Sean like… THAT… because you said he's gay. But I do look at you that way." I batted my eyelashes at him, hoping to put him in a better mood. Feelings of jealousy made him unhappy; I'd sensed that since we'd sat down to discuss the subject of my contacts. I didn't want Eric to be unhappy.

Eric leaned in to kiss my lips and then ran his fingers through my hair a few times. He'd taken it out of the elastic after he'd sat me here on the couch with him. Eric's eyes laid his soul bare to me in that moment. I saw his hurt, his insecurity (Eric!), his need for love – MY love, his feelings of ownership and possession, his passion for my body, and something that he hadn't identified as love (yet) but it still made my heart sing. If Eric was any indication of all Vampire men, they were much more emotional and vulnerable than human men. They also hid it ten times harder. I wouldn't give away his secret. This was for me alone. But then he looked away and went back to business.

"I would like you to tell me about him." He opened another picture on the computer.

I froze. Hardly anyone would recognize this man from this picture…. because all you could see was his erection. Besides the crippling fear of Eric's reaction, the only intelligible thought I had was that Eric was much bigger. I had befriended the man in question online and we began a little romance. He was far more forward than I was and sent me this picture. I told him he wouldn't be getting one of me until we knew each other better. Our first meeting consisted of lunch near Shreveport and he was very funny. We talked on the phone for over two hours the next day. We went out a few more times, but didn't sleep together. He was the first bright spot I'd had in a very long time. I'd tried not to get too excited. I didn't want the let down and even though we got along wonderfully, we were both so busy! Sometimes we only had quick text and no real talking for near week-long intervals. But then three Vamps had walked into Merlotte's and I became Eric's. He was probably wondering what had happened to me. I hadn't been allowed to get into my Facebook or instant messaging, and Eric had my cell phone.

"We went on a few dates." I said, very cautiously.

"You went on a few dates?" Eric said disbelievingly. "I find a picture of another man's cock on your computer and all you have to say is that you went on a few dates?"

The look he gave me would have frozen me solid if I hadn't been covered by a blanket. He wrinkled his forehead, raised his eyebrows, and stared at me with a stony silence riddled with disapproval and disbelief, waiting for my answer. I shivered. I was way into dangerous territory. This was a very current, budding relationship that had been completely interrupted and knocked to the side by my involvement with Eric. I tried to gather my words. He couldn't – he wouldn't hold my past against me. Even if this past had only happened days or hours before Eric had walked into my life. I had to be honest.

"Eric this was before you and me… He sent me the picture because we met online and he was being way too forward with me. I told him I didn't know him well enough to send him one of me. I'm embarrassed to say that I saw his penis before I met him in person. We talked about sex a few times. He was very open, but respectful when we went out together. Eric, I did _not_ sleep with him!"

"You expect me to believe you didn't fuck him?" he snapped. "Dina you have a picture of his dick! If you didn't, than how were you so easily able to recognize his dick in a picture?"

If I'd been in the mood for laughing I'd have thought how much this reminded me of discussing this subject with one of my older uncles, who didn't understand how people communicated in the 21st century. Eric was very progressive in keeping up with the times, but this reminded me just exactly how old he really was. Strangely, that didn't creep me out at all. He probably couldn't fathom an emotional connection via the internet any more than he thought I could see a man's peen and never actually nail him.

"Eric, I promise you – I never slept with him. We weren't together long enough. I knew it was him because most people don't send me dirty pics! Nobody has ever sent me a picture of their penis before in my life! Believe it or not, most men don't pull me out of a bar and say they are going to have sex with me either!" I said, thinking about his bold actions the night I called him.

When he answered me, I knew he hadn't gotten the fact that I'd been referring to him.

"I wouldn't put that past one of these ya-hoos around here!" he said, still glaring at me. "So, you didn't fuck him. What was the status of your... relationship... when you came to me?" He paused as though he couldn't think of the right term, like there was something dirty or shameful about the time I'd spent with this man.

"Uh… Semi-active. We were having a hard time getting together. I worked and went to school. He worked overtime. And he wasn't close enough to just shoot over for a quick dinner or coffee. It wouldn't be worth the time driving" I stopped for a moment. "Eric, I don't appreciate you being so upset with me. You have a sexual history too might I add. And by the way – you were the only man to come into a bar, tell me we were going to have sex and proceed to take me home without thinking that you might be a little presumptuous!" I really wanted to wave my hands around and wag my fingers at him. It was hard to yell with my hands restrained!

"I was perfectly within my right to take you home to have sex!" he said quietly, his voice hard. "You were mine, by your own choice. Your own words! I could have stripped you and taken you right there. Be glad that I have some civility in me." Then he stared at me for several minutes, his face without expression, his eyes cold. He was silent for so long that I started to worry. What was he going to do? Finally he spoke. "You will not contact this man again, under any circumstances. He is dead to you, and you are dead to him."

He went to that other program again and started typing, obviously dismissing the subject. I was outraged.

"No!" I said. His head whipped around. "First of all we can discuss the rights you think you have and had to me later! I'm not done with that…. But Chris is not dead to me. I will tell him I found someone else. You can write it out and send it for me. I don't care. But he will get an explanation. That's the only way I'm going to be able to forget about this."

His movements slow and precise, Eric closed the laptop lid and set it on the opposite side of him. Then before I took another breath, I found myself on my back on the couch cushions, Eric looming over me, his fangs prominently displayed. "What did you say to me?" he said in that quiet tone of voice that told me he was more than angry. I had to think fast. Was this fight worth whatever punishment he was bound to hand me?

"I said no, Eric! I'm your Bonded. …Not your doormat. I have to stand on this. I want us to talk. Eric, please, you are hurting my arms!" I tried to appeal to my status and hopefully gain sympathy for my pain.

For a few seconds he pushed me down further into the cushions, compounding the pain in my shoulders and wrists where the handcuffs mercilessly bit into them. Then he took me by the shoulders and sat me up, but didn't cover me back up with the blanket. He put his hand on the center of my chest, holding me there while his other finger came up to point in my face. "You are right. You are my Bonded. And as my Bonded you will do as I say!" His voice had changed to THE VOICE, his eyes beginning to glow as they often did when he was emotional about something. "I am also your Master, or have you forgotten that? I know exactly what my rights are when it comes to you. Perhaps I need to be more firm in exercising them." He paused for a moment to let that sink in, and I was genuinely afraid of him. "You will have no contact WHAT-SO-EV-ER with this man, ever again, and you need to consider where your priorities should be. That is my final word." He glared at me until I dropped my eyes. Then he pulled the blanket up and tucked it back around my shoulders, retrieved the laptop and went back to typing.

I pushed my fear aside. I needed to be rational – did I want to keep going or let it go? I searched my mind for a way to talk to him without getting punished. I hoped my status would help, but maybe… maybe I needed to phrase it better.

"You said as… Your Bonded I could always talk to you – without fear of punishment. How are you holding true to your words to me? You told me this when I first agreed to be yours in all ways." I kept my voice low and didn't hide my sadness.

He closed his eyes and sighed, once again setting the laptop aside and turning to me. I flinched back as he drew close but this time he didn't grab me. "We have talked, Dina, and you have told me what you want. I have not threatened you with punishment. I cannot, I WILL not allow you to contact him. When I asked you to be mine in all ways, you agreed to submit to me. You gave your mind, your body, and your will to me. I hold you to that. .Go." He enunciated those last words, but his demeanor was not nearly as fierce as it had been. But still, he was adamant and did not seem to be willing to consider my point of view.

"I'm not satisfied with that. From what I understand, I have a special place in your life. We can't just end this because you want to. This isn't about me and another man. This is you and me communicating. And this is you refusing to grant me a goodbye with someone who was very kind to me. He doesn't deserve the hurt and neither do I." I took a breath and waited. I couldn't come at him swinging, bound as I was. But even if I did, he'd only push me down, literally and figuratively. I had to remain calm, but not back down. I was still exploring the parameters of our relationship. If Eric didn't want a brainless slave, then he would have to respect my convictions.

He looked like the top of his head might fly off any minute with steam coming out of his ears. He had a way of scrunching his face up when he was really angry, and he was doing that now. Jealousy and suspicion rolled over me through the bond like a tsunami, and I couldn't find higher ground. He closed his eyes, breathing heavily even though he had no need to breathe. It must be a habit. "Dina, we are communicating," he spat through his fangs. "You are communicating to me that you want to have one last contact with a former love interest, and I am communicating to you that I will not allow it. What part of my communicating is unclear?" He opened his eyes and looked at me; his gaze intense and emotional. Something was going on behind the anger. Did I want to find out?

"The part where I explain that I'm not like that – I want you. You, Eric! Only you! I show you my love and devotion to our relationship everyday. I'm sitting here chained up and naked for God's sake, because I am yours! You have my love, and complete submission. …Eric, you like that I'm nice. You may hate that I dislike violence, but you enjoy my niceness. I can't just drop off without a goodbye. He was a nice guy – he doesn't deserve that. He was also very nice to me in a time in my life when I was feeling… a little low. I needed someone and he was there for me. I owe him a 'goodbye' and it will hurt me if I don't. You should trust me. Honestly… why are you so up my ass about a 'dear john' letter?"

I tried to control my emotions. It was hard with his mixing in there. My normal tactics in a situation like this would be to yell and become unrepentantly indignant, but I was trying to not do that. I had to work with Eric – this was truly about our communication. Our relationship was new and we had to work out these kinks. I accepted him for who he was, he should do that much for me.

"Up your ass?" he repeated, traces of his ancient accent now coming out. "Dina, I have not even begun to get up your ass. You will surely know it when I do!" He glared at me, the threat very much evident in his eyes and the tone of his voice. I shivered beneath the blanket. He noticed that, reached over, and slowly pulled the blanket away from me, leaving me completely bare to his gaze. "You forget that you are here for my pleasure, not the other way around." he continued, tossing the blanket aside.

"Do you know why I chain you naked? Spread you wide? Because it pleases me to do so. You are a beautiful woman, Dina, with a beautiful body. A body that you would hide from me on every occasion. If you were unbound you would try to cover yourself with your arms and hands. You struggle with keeping your legs open to me; I feel the turmoil through the bond." His voice was low and intense, every syllable rich with emotion. His eyes were hard, predatory, possessive, and still angry.

He went on. "It pleases me to have you helpless before me, unable to flee, unable to fend off my advances. I can touch you..." and he reached out his hand for me. I flinched back, afraid of what he might do. He hissed at me through his fangs. "You have just earned yourself a punishment, Lover." This time he came at me at Vampire speed, and I had no time to back away. He grabbed both breasts and began to fondle them roughly, flicking the nipples with his fingernails. Traitorous things that they were, they stood straight out, begging for his attention.

"As I was saying, I can touch you whenever I want, in any way that I want, and you are powerless to stop me. This pleases me very much. Normally I seek to give you pleasure, but..." He pinched both nipples hard, using the Vampire strength in his fingers, and I cried out in pain. "Sometimes a little pain is called for." The pain went away after a few seconds, only to be amplified times ten when he let go. I screeched and whimpered, afraid to say anything that might make him do it again. I felt degraded by the way he had handled me but tried not to show it. I would not let him use my lack of clothing to try to shame me into giving up my argument.

"I cannot let you see him, Dina," he told me again. "You do not wish for him to die, do you?" His expression was sober, his voice clear, free of anything that might make me think he wasn't absolutely serious.

"No!" I blurted out with more emotion than I meant to. His eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?" I had to know even though it might damage our relationship.

His next words were heartfelt - he was speaking from a place inside where he rarely went. I drew in a deep breath and had to blink my eyes to stop the tears that wanted to fall. "And do not think that I would let you see him alone. I would not be able to. You bring out something in me - and it has nothing to do with my dominance over you - that makes me crazy with jealousy at the mere thought. It is partially because I am Vampire, but the greater part of it is my feelings for you."

That was as close to an "I love you" as I had ever gotten from Eric - him confessing that he was capable of killing another man if he got too close for Eric's comfort. Surprisingly, I wasn't horrified by his admission.

"Fine. Then you have to make this right. Do not hurt him – it's not fair and it would hurt me. Write him on my behalf… something to… to conclude this." I was searching for words. Eric had suddenly left me with none. Somehow I had to get it through that thick head of his how selfish he was being. I had to think that it would matter, or had I completely misjudged him? The Eric I thought I knew wasn't a complete dick, as he was being right now.

He just stared at me - no expression on his face at all - but his eyes told me he probably wanted to throw me across the room. Or throw me down and fuck me. That was the problem. I couldn't read him at all. I couldn't feel him in the bond. He had to be able to shut it off when he didn't want me to know what he was feeling. Now wasn't the time to ask. I started to fidget under his scrutiny, uncomfortable with my lack of clothing, with his admission that he did this to me because he knew I was uncomfortable baring all to him, so to speak. It made me perceive myself with a severe disadvantage to him as he sat there looking oh-so-handsome in his comfy track suit.

Now I knew that he did it deliberately, part of his determination to dominate me sexually, even when we weren't having or talking about sex. I was frustrated but really tried to hide it. It wouldn't help. He was already overreacting because of his jealousy. If there was ever a time to keep my cool, it was now. But it wasn't easy!

Finally he spoke. "So, let me get this straight. This man who could not send you a normal picture of himself, instead disrespecting you by sending you his penis, means something to you." God, would he never get over the fact that Chris had sent me a picture of his junk! It wasn't that big of a deal in this century! Shit, when he had been born they might as well have still been dragging their women around by the hair and hitting them with clubs to fuck them! (The thought of Eric doing that struck me as hilarious.) I opened my mouth to lay into him again, but he held up his hand, silencing me with one warning look.

"He means enough that you defy me, your Bonded and Master, risking the possibility of punishment to do so, over a simple goodbye." The tension thickened in the room. The way he said it made it sound like I was either stupid or insane. "I am still absolute in my final word. You will not see him again." My heart dropped like a stone. This was going to be another repeat of the same argument we'd been having for an hour now. I tried to say something, but he gave me the same look again. I sighed and looked down at the fabric of the couch, feeling defeated. "But, it is not my desire to hurt you. I haven't had this kind of affection for anyone like I do you, except for my child Pam."

He reached out and touched my face, tilting my chin up to make me look at him. I still looked away, unwanted tears starting to fall. He touched one and tasted it, an act that always endeared him to me. "I do not like your tears over dealings with another man. But I do like your tender heart, as you said." He moved closer and put his arm around my shoulders, his other hand pulling me closer into his chest. Then he put his hand over my heart. "I will give you a compromise, if that is acceptable." I tried to raise my head to look at his face but he held me where I was.

"I will glamour this man for you. He will believe that you did say goodbye to him, but he will also lose any thought of sexual or romantic feeling for you. He will believe that you are happily married and will not entertain thoughts of seeing you again. If he sees you in a public place, he will not acknowledge you and will walk in the other direction. This is my compromise. I will not have this man in your life, Dina, even accidentally. And if you see him, you must promise me that you will not call out to him or attempt to engage him in any way whatsoever. This is the compromise I offer you. You will take it or leave it. I tire of this argument, and further defiance will result in punishment."

He looked at me, his mouth a firm, hard line, but the muscles of his jaw were tight. His eyes were again intense and emotional. This was affecting him too. I realized once more, that Eric might be collected and guarded but he was far from an apathetic creature. I had stood firm and received some rough consequences for it. It was time to accept what he gave me and shut up.

"Thank you." I said, thickly. "I can do that."

He held me against his chest for a few more moments, once bending down to lick the tears from my face. I was surprised that he would be so tender with me after such a terrible argument. But that was my Eric. After this, he would probably never bring it up again. "Good. Lets move on with your other contacts," he said, sounding tired.

We went through the rest of the guys. Some were fast and a few needed time for talking and clarifying. We argued at a few points, but both wanted to compromise after the intensity of our last spat. Eric was adamant that if they had sexual feelings for me, I couldn't be alone with them and he would oversee our communications. I also had to assure him I didn't reciprocate said feelings. I think some of these guys living in different states eased his mind. Since I didn't plan on ever cheating and accepted he was in charge, I reluctantly agreed. I also took some time to absorb what he was saying to try to find any loophole he might have left. This was both so I could try to do some of the things I wanted and to avoid being punished. Eric was to the letter and honest to his word. We finally moved on to women. I figured this would be a cake walk.

Eric had a whole different document for the women in my contact list. There were a lot more of them than men and I wondered how he could keep track of all this information. I guessed if there was one good thing about being a Vampire it was that they seemed to have perfect recall. Of that I was envious! I could imagine all the work I could get done with those skills. After scrolling through his document too quickly for me to even see what he had in there, he stopped, made a couple of very decisive clicks, and turned the screen to face me.

"I would like you to tell me about this young woman here," he said without expression, giving me no clue as to what he might be after. The picture was of a slim woman with long dark hair, bright blue eyes, and a bright white smile of beautiful, perfect teeth.

She was on a beach with a lot of people in the background, wearing a yellow bikini. I very nearly smiled at the sight because I remembered it well. Spring break, just under a year ago. I stopped the smile, but had no control over the flip-flop my heart did. "Before you say anything," Eric continued, "she left a response to your post about the positive feedback from your Neuropsychology presentation, and I quote: 'I remember that your ORAL skills were quite good the last time I saw you. Want to hook up for Mardi Gras next year?' Now, you will tell me the absolute truth about your relationship with this woman." He looked at me expectantly, again giving me absolutely no clue as to what he did or didn't know.

"She was only kidding… she's very blunt and cheeky." I began and trailed off. I didn't think he would have such a stick up his ass about chicks. I saw his unhappy expression and decided I really, really didn't want to be punished yet again. "We met briefly and stayed friends online. There is nothing romantic about us. –" He cut me off.

"Nothing romantic? Dina, my slang may not be good as you have pointed out, but I know what she is referring to. "

I gritted my teeth. "As I said – not ROMANTIC. It was just a little sex between friends. Not even really sex-sex. Just… ya know, fooling around some." God, I couldn't believe I was discussing this.

"Dina, tell me the truth. You didn't think I would ask you about your female lovers, did you? You had hoped to gloss over them and flirt with them behind my back. Now you're surprised that I'm asking about them." He stared at me, his eyes flashing. I saw the hurt and pain in his eyes along with the anger. He truly thought I wanted to have relationships outside of this one!

"Eric," I said softly. "No, it isn't what you think. I don't think of any of them that way any more. They are in my past and you are my future. There were strong friendships there along with the occasional sex. It was never done to look for a life partner. It was more, female closeness. I know that's hard for a man to understand, but..." And there he cut me off.

"It does not matter to me whether you considered them as life partners or not. You had sexual relations with this girl, who I happen to know by the way. Amelia Broadway, isn't it? She's a friend of Sookie's."

"I didn't know you knew her..… I thought you may not care with women as much. Its different – just in general. No competition because men and women offer different things. There was maybe only one or two girls I actually dated. And one for sure I have no contact with. Everyone else was just friends I enjoyed bonding with – sharing pleasure with. Half of them were always set on only dating and marrying men. Nothing would change that." I hesitated, no one ever made me so lost for words. "I didn't lie to you."

I never wanted to hurt him. I had no interest in anyone else. Not only was I faithful, but Eric gave me more than anyone ever had. Sexually, he was unparalleled. I was exhausted and sometimes literally sore from his appetites. He also cared for me and accepted me in way no one else had. He didn't get emotional or use the L word like I did, but I didn't doubt his affection. Sometimes I doubted I was capable of ever loving someone after being hurt in the past and being so strong willed – could I really let someone that close to me and share myself? I realized this was probably more the pain of loss talking than anything else, but this thought lingered with me for a long time. Eric proved to me I could love and I could give myself to someone. I hoped he felt my love for him.

He looked at me for a long time as if trying to figure something out. I wasn't lying to him. Hell, I couldn't! If I did, that damn bond would have me wrapped up in all kinds of punishment! Eric was absolutely it for me. If we ever broke up, I didn't know if I would ever see anyone again. Finally he spoke. "I believe you, but I want this made clear. You will cut off all communication with her. I felt your feelings for her when you saw her picture. I will take no chances. But, I will allow you to write one last time to say goodbye. I will of course read it before you send it, and you will make it clear in no uncertain terms that you cannot see her again."

"Even though I have no emotional interest in her beyond friendship? And what if we run into her – you know her, we travel in the same circles." I said, surprised how he was taking this. He had my body, heart, mind and soul. A friend who I enjoyed some oral sex with was no threat to our relationship.

"This is just like the argument we had about your male... interests!" he raised his voice a few notches, threw aside the computer roughly, and stood up. He walked around the living room a few times, running his fingers through his hair. Finally he stopped at looked me, and I was ready for the shit storm. "You may not have noticed, but I have! You are trying to compensate for everyone's feelings in this situation, except for mine! Does it even matter to you that I am Your Bonded? You think I am being selfish, well maybe I am a bit selfish, and possessive, but there is a reason for that. Don't you understand the reason? I need you, Dina! The thought of losing you is like a thousand stakes through my heart, and I feel that these people are a threat. Trust me, I will avoid traveling in any circle with Bill and Sookie, so I doubt that we will encounter Miss Broadway. I could ban you from contacting her this last time, but I thought I was giving a fair compromise by allowing it. But it is never enough for you, is it?" He stood there looking defeated, and my heart ached for him. I wanted to stand by my convictions, but at what cost?

"Eric…its not that. Of course I think about your feelings – but they are misplaced. You can trust me. You ask me to trust you. I've never had anyone try to take away people in my life for any good reason. I can't imagine anyone would find it healthy… I, I would never hurt you. I just want you to trust me too. I wouldn't leave you." I took a deep breath, feeling yet another crying jag coming on. "If you really need me to say goodbye and let it go, I will. I just want your trust, because it hurts me not to have it." I desperately wanted to hold him. "Eric, don't you have any idea how special you are? There is NO ONE on this earth who could ever compare to you in any way, shape, or form. How can you even think that I would consider doing anything with someone else when I have you?" The tears had started to fall and I could not stop them. "Will you please come here? I need to feel your touch."

"Dina, it is not a matter of trust, or at least not trusting you. I do trust you!' He came over and knelt in front of me, his hands on my thighs. I wanted to scream at him to get rid of the damn spreader bar but I knew it would do more harm than good to make that demand right now. His head was hanging down onto his chest, his beautiful golden hair barely touching my skin. He looked up at me and I saw that pain in his eyes, and I felt like a thousand stakes had penetrated _my_ heart. "My trust for you is absolute. It is them I do not trust. I also fear for my reaction if one of them were to embrace you or touch you inappropriately. I might be unable to control my instinct to protect, at the very least, let alone if it struck a chord of jealousy with me. Someone could be badly hurt, or even killed, before I stopped to consider what I was doing!" He hung his head and I was finally able to understand one of his reasons for wanting these people out of my life - their own safety! But what shocked me more was that his feelings for me would be what brought it out! I cursed these damned restraints for the ump-teenth time as, unable to reach out to him, I leaned forward and awkwardly brushed my face against the top of his head.

He cupped my face with his hands and kissed me desperately, like his life depended on it. As we looked into each other's eyes, a new level of understanding grew between us. I now knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was not just the urge to possess me that he felt. He would stop at nothing to protect me, take care of me, fulfill my needs, satisfy me, encourage me, help me live up to my potential and try to realize my dreams. He wasn't going anywhere. Ever. The bond told me that, what little of it he now let me feel, and so did his eyes.

Nearly overwhelmed, I took a deep breath and tried to convey back the same message. To the best of my ability, I would do the same for him. "I don't think either of us wants to hurt each other. If Amelia's and my history threatens you, I'll cut ties. I'm not terribly close with her. I am less okay giving up childhood friends I might have slept with. I hope you will trust that many of them are married to other people now and none of them live in this state. Is that enough for you?" I asked, praying we didn't fight again.

He stared at me again with that look that I had come to understand was a look of assessment. He was trying to decide how to deal with my stubbornness in the wake of his determination to have the final word on everything. I wondered if he was regretting bringing such a strong-willed woman into his life and hoped he would continue to compromise with me. "I am struggling with this," he finally said. "To me, it does not matter if it is a man or a woman. If you have had sexual relations with someone, I want them out of your life. How long you have known the person has no relevance to me. Do you see where the problem lies?"

He cupped my cheeks and stared at me with a fond but troubled look on his face before moving back up to sit next to me on the couch. He turned his body to face me and maneuvered me so that I was sitting sideways more-or-less "indian-style" with the damned bar proving very inconvenient. He grabbed all the decorative pillows from the other furniture and propped them behind me to give me a comfy place to lean. He seemed to need contact; he put his hands on my knees, alternately moving them up to caress my thighs, or down to touch my calves.

"The final say here will be mine but I need you to help me understand why I should not cut your ties completely to all of these people."

"I... I don't know if I can explain this to you. Do you have anyone besides Pam that you love? Anyone from your past, who you don't see often but never want to lose? Do you still reminisce and enjoy reading about what's happening in the places you are from? Does the promise to remain friends forever mean anything to you?" I paused, not really expecting answers from him. "I understand how you feel. I am with you 100% about people who I might have had romantic feelings for or could picture myself with if I didn't have you. But that simply isn't the case with most of the people I know. I do know you are okay with casual sex between yourself and fangbangers even while you're with me – I'll be honest and say that I wish you didn't think that way. I am okay with sex between friends who care about one another but would only do that before I was with you. Trust me when I say it means nothing in regard to our relationship. Even our sex is different, because I love you and have given you the ability to cut ties with people I love no matter how much it hurts me. I don't think you have any idea of just how much more I've given you than anyone in my past, and I'm not even talking about the Dominant and submissive part of our relationship. That's a whole separate issue."

He tilted his head to the side and gave me that appraising stare. It was starting to make me nervous because he continued to keep his side of the bond almost completely closed to me as well. "When I took you as mine I had no intention of altering my lifestyle in any way because of your presence in my life. I make no promises but I will tell you that I am reassessing that plan. I believe you asked me not to 'rub your face in it.' I stand by my word. I want to cause no hurt to you because of my activities away from our home." My heart sank and soared at the same time. He was considering giving up the fangbangers! I hoped he would make his decision in favor of that. It humiliated me as his Bonded when everyone knew that he cheated on me at will and I had no choice but to let him do it. I guessed he had a reputation to uphold. "But that does not change your position. You are mine and will not be involved with others, male or female, unless I bring them in to our relationship! We will handle each person in your contact list as we go along. Let me think on Amelia and I will come to a decision later." At this point, that was all I could ask.

He settled back down with the computer. We marked off which girls I had 'relations' with, how I and said girl felt about one another, and if they were seeing or married to someone else now. Eric decided he needed a day or so to think things over. He said he planned on letting me contact my family tomorrow and we would feed them the same story my facebook told. As far as anyone knew, I took a new job as his personal assistant. Due to the inconvenience, that propelled me to quit school and re-enroll later, I was given an advance and used it for a vacation.

I didn't have a lot of reception and rarely turned my phone on. I had minimal access to the internet as well, but really wanted some down time. I was about to embark on long hours working for a difficult man. Eric agreed he could be difficult. I nearly snorted – talk about an under statement. He said we'd tell we began to date later. We could weave a great little fable about a workplace romance. He assured me I wasn't really lying – we were acting more than anything else. After all, he joked, it was at my work that our relationship had begun.

And it was certainly better than the alternative: the truth. I don't think anyone would react well to me becoming a 24/7 submissive to a 1000+ year old Vamp. I was too caught up to notice, but Eric told me I was hungry. Once again this bond was fucking weird. Since when did I need someone else to tell me I wanted food?

"I am going to cook for you, Love," Eric announced.

"You are what?" I stared at him incredulously. Eric was a Vampire! They didn't cook!

"Trust me," he said, smiling. He rearranged the pillows to my liking, and I was basically reclining lengthwise on the couch, the spreader bar still inconveniently keeping me open wide for him. But the way he arranged the pillows took a lot of the strain off my shoulders, neck, back, and wrists. I wished he would just take them off! What was his purpose in keeping me restrained this long? Apparently I would have some time to ponder this, because he put the TV on to the channel where they talk about crimes and how they were solved (we found that we both enjoyed this), gave me a couple of lingering kisses on the lips, and headed for the kitchen smiling enigmatically.

Trust him. That was all he was ever asking for, wasn't it?

EPOV

She looked skeptical as I got up and headed into the kitchen. I chuckled to myself. She was going to get a huge surprise! She didn't know I'd gone to cooking school for a while in the 1980s as part of a bet with Pam. A bet that I had won, of course. We had both attended different classes and at the end had cooked for Mr. Cataliades, my lawyer, and his family. We'd just bought a restaurant and Pam had made a snide remark about me cooking for the customers myself. Cataliades had been there going over contracts with us. He was the perfect taste-tester because he had a very sensitive palate and was aware that we were Vampire. He wasn't afraid of either of us and would judge us both equally. I had made the best tasting meal, which had required Pam to act as the head chef in the kitchen for two weeks. She still refused to laugh when I teased her about it. We still owned the restaurant - a very classy and upscale place that catered to a lot of different palates. We were very popular with Supes for that reason. Not many places around Shreveport offered deep-fried Elk Brain "poppers" or Moose Tartar with the moose specially flown in from Canada. We were particularly busy immediately before and after the full moon, when the animal urge is strong. We did not stock the restaurant supplies ourselves. We had three managers, one shifter, one werewolf, and one were-lion (very rare and we were lucky to have him). They did the physical running of the restaurant and reported to my day man. That job had been Burnham's, but it now fell to Sean. I would have to take Dina to my restaurant soon and have them spoil her, see what kind of damage Burnham might have done, and fix it.

Earlier I had taken a New York Strip steak out of the freezer and defrosted it in the microwave. I had left it partially frozen so that it would not spoil and now, as I removed it from the microwave, it was just slightly cooler than room temperature. Quickly I added coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to the meat, both sides, and left it to rest on the plate.

"Eric? Do you need any help?" she called from the other room. I could hear the nervousness in her voice. She probably thought I was going to make her a blood shake or something along those lines.

"No, I do not, but thank you!" I called back, rolling my eyes. My culinary skills were significantly better than what she must be imagining. I got the burner going with the frying pan and oil, glad now that I had opted for professional-grade appliances and cookware even though I did not use them for myself. It would heat in a matter of minutes, but in the meantime I got out the mashed potatoes from the refrigerator. I regretted not having time to make fresh, but I still had a number of things that I wanted to do tonight before the dawn forced me into slumber. I scooped a serving-sized portion into a microwave bowl and held it up to my face. My sense of smell was a thousand times better than it had been when I was human. Food was no longer appetizing to me, but my culinary courses had taught me that I could memorize the exact smell of foods and seasonings, measurements of spices and other additions, and the way the colors of foods changed as they cooked. These potatoes were fairly good but needed more seasoning. I melted some butter, taking the time to chop a very small amount of fresh chives and parsley. I mixed these, along with a small amount of salt, into the potatoes and set them aside. I could tell that the pan for the steak was hot enough; tiny wisps of white smoke swirling above it. I picked up the pan and rolled it around to coat the bottom with the oil and then carefully laid the steak in the center before setting it back down.

The emotions coming from Dina through the bond were quite lively. I could feel her fretting, and I wondered what exactly was giving her the most trouble. Now was one of those times when I wished I had Sookie's telepathy. I had been brutal in cutting quite a few of her facebook and other contacts out of her life. She wanted to be able to say goodbye to them and explain, but I saw no need for that. She would never see them again and so had no need to fear any type of confrontation at a later date. She had argued about letting them down easy, but I didn't give a warlock's ass about their feelings. She was mine now. If anyone wanted to dispute that they would have to take it up with me and not her. I almost hoped one of them would come to Fangtasia one night and see us together, and decide to say something. It would give me great satisfaction to crush them. I didn't mean that literally, because her tender heart would break if I physically hurt anyone who wanted to challenge me for her affections. But they would receive no easy letdown from me. I didn't apply this attitude only toward the men. I knew full well that Dina was bisexual and had had female suitors as well as male. The overtly male part of me had briefly considered letting her keep contact with her female paramours so that I could engage in sex with both of them together. But I'd quashed that idea almost immediately. It would be unfair to her, and I was not about to play second fiddle for any woman who predominantly wanted to be with my Dina and was only with me because she had to be in order to be with Dina. No, that would not be happening, ever.

My darling Dina had sought to pull the wool over my eyes when it came to her female contacts. She had tried to play them off as "just friends." It was well within my right to punish her for this. My blood was boiling under the surface but she had no idea. When we retired to the bedroom for the rest of the night, I would make perfectly clear how I felt about things.

She had purchased broccoli on our last shopping trip and had cut it up sometime, probably while I rested. I measured out a perfect serving and put it in the microwave to steam. I'd turned the steak over midway through the cooking process and now felt it with my finger. Medium. Perfect. I took it out of the pan and put it on a covered plate. It would cook to medium-well while it rested. My Bonded might prefer her meat rarer, but I would not cook it that way for her. I was very conscious of food-borne bacteria and would not risk her health. I quickly made a pan sauce with some organic beef stock - I was not going to feed her anything with alcohol in it either, unless she was getting tipsy for the purpose of us getting tipsy together when I drank her blood. I had done it before with Fangbangers whom I felt comfortable with. It was quite an enjoyable experience and I looked forward to our doing it together.

I sliced the steak into bite-sized pieces, plated the potatoes and sauced them along with the meat. I added a generous piece of butter to the broccoli and seasoned it with something called "Jane's Mixed Up Salt." She used that a lot to season her cooked vegetables. I decided to take the salt with me in case she wanted a bit more. "Dina?" I called to her.

"Yes Eric?" she responded immediately. I smiled. I had sensed her sleeping in the bond over the last 15 minutes. She was tuned enough to the sound of my voice to wake and answer me. That pleased me greatly.

"What would you like to drink?"

"How about a pop from the fridge?" she asked. "Is that okay?"

"Anything you want, Dearest!" I called back. I would give her no indication of my true mood until we went to bed. I opened the refrigerator and located a can of Pepsi. It was a strange drink with a bubbly texture called carbonation. Obviously, no such thing had existed when I was human. There were times when our water wasn't clean so even the children drank mead or wine. I had taken a sniff at this Pepsi once. It irritated my nose. But Dina loved it. I got out a glass and filled it halfway with ice, then poured the drink down the side like I had seen her do. She said it was to avoid the foam bubbling over and out of the glass. I took her word for it. I got a straw that bent, and headed to the table where she usually dined. I set everything down and went to collect her.

She looked sleepy when I entered the room but smiled brightly at me. If my heart was still beating, her smile would make it skip. It always sent a warm feeling through me because I knew that particular smile was reserved only for me. I had seen her smiling and laughing when interacting with friends, but never the way she smiled at me. I smiled back. "Are you ready to eat?"

"Yes, if you'll let me out of all this stuff," she shook her bound hands behind her and swayed her knees back and forth, "I'll come in with you."

I smiled devilishly. She had been wearing my handcuffs and spreader bar for quite a long while this evening, but I was not quite ready to set her free. I didn't do as she asked. Instead I picked her up and put her over my shoulder, spanking her ass soundly. She shrieked at me. "Behave yourself Lover!" I warned her. "You are still at my mercy!" She made a sound of frustration and I chuckled quietly. I set her down in the chair that I had prepared earlier. I had attached leather cuffs to the front chair legs, and I fastened her ankles to those. Then I took a very wide strap and wrapped it around her middle, just under her breasts. At the back were several adjustable buckles which I tightened enough so that she couldn't bend forward. When I fed her, she would have to wait for me to bring the food to her mouth. She had absolutely no control over the situation and I knew this would frustrate her immensely. But this was part of the training. She needed to learn to depend completely on me for what she needed. If I had to tie her to a chair and feed every meal to her, so be it. She would give up this incessant need to control every situation and relinquish it to me.

"Eric, it's too tight!" she protested. "I can hardly breathe!" I took my fingers and felt the strap. I could put two fingers between it and her skin without it being overly tight.

"Breathe deeply for me, now!" I ordered her. She took a couple of shaky breaths. "No," I said in a calmer voice. "Breathe. Here. I will do it with you." Just like I had when she had been punished, I knelt, put my hand on her chest, and sent a wave of calm at her through the bond. I began to breathe loudly through my mouth and continued to do so until her breaths matched mine and she had calmed. "Do you see? It is not too tight. You are fine." I stood up and folded my arms, staring sternly down at her. "You need to learn not to..." I searched for a modern term to say what I meant. "...not to freak out when I bind you restrictively. This is nothing compared to what I will do in the future. We are working slowly toward a goal here. I need your cooperation. Give up this need to control everything. Relax and let me take care of you. Trust, Dina. I need your trust." She blinked up at me while I lectured her but when it was time for her to respond, she looked away. "Look a me, Dina!" I demanded.

She brought her gaze back to mine but dropped her eyes again. While I enjoyed this act of submission, I wanted her to tell me how she felt. Before I could order her to speak, she did. "This is overwhelming… I don't know if I'm doing well or not. We are working toward how I feel about my body. We are working toward you binding me worse than now. We are having you take my friends and family from me – potentially at least, since you are still debating. I don't know if you are expecting too much or I am not doing this well enough." I waited a moment and tried to think of how I really felt. "I trust you. But I don't always know exactly what we are aiming for."

I felt a lot of mixed feelings coming from her and realized that I had caused this turmoil within her. On one hand she was frustrated and angry, feeling almost rebellious. On the other hand she was confused, sad, but also hopeful. I did not want to break her the way many Vampires did their humans, and realized that if I didn't tread lightly, I could have that same kind of result. "Perhaps I am not open enough with you, I don't share the goals we are working toward with you so you don't know why we do some things. While I feed you, I want you to ask me all of the questions you have been suppressing. You have no need to fear punishment. And, before you ask, I will not remove your bindings so that you can feed yourself. It gives me pleasure to provide you with nourishment, because you get pleasure from it too, and also because you nourish me in every way. I appreciate this very much. Your willingness to share your blood with me, as much of it as I have wanted, means a great deal to me. You are sacrificing part of your life's force so that mine can continue. This is generous beyond measure and I respect you for it." I took the cover off the dish and held my hand above it. It was still warm. This was a special dish for keeping a meal warm when someone was delayed in eating. I had purchased several for her. I took up a bite of steak and dipped it in the potatoes and gravy as I had often seen her do. "Open!" I ordered gently. She accepted the food and her expression became rapturous.

I watched her chew and felt her enjoyment. She relaxed when she knew she wouldn't be punished. I was still going to exert my dominance over her and doubted she would enjoy that. I tried to decode her emotions as they rolled through our bond. It must be so hard to feel so much. I honestly didn't remember. "So how am I doing… Are we close to these goals I know little about? Are we on schedule?" she asked after she swallowed.

I stopped to think about her question. I hadn't really designed a rubric for our relationship so I could "grade" her. My little academic seemed to think everything was pass/fail.

"And by the way," she continued, accepting more of her meal from me, how did you learn to cook like that? Are you hiding Bobby Flay in the kitchen?"

"Who is Bobby Flay?" I demanded sharply, set off by the mention of a man who was not on her contact list. Was she hiding him from me? If so, why? To my consternation, she laughed.

"Eric, I don't know Bobby Flay!" she continued laughing. "Haven't you ever seen the Food Network? He is a very prominent chef who specializes in meat. Your steak is amazing. I was teasing you!" She looked at me apologetically, her lower lip sticking out just a bit. Well, I had overreacted.

I smiled sheepishly, then turned cocky and cupped my crotch with my hand. "I have some meat for you that's better than anything he'll ever serve!"

She winked at me, licked her lips, and said flirtatiously, "Oooohh, I think I'm a lot hungrier than I was a minute ago!"

We smiled at each other, enjoying our playful banter that always cleared the tension in the room. I leaned in and kissed her hard, a kiss full of promise, and threat. I let my fangs scratch her and licked up the blood. I felt and smelled her arousal. I reached down with my hand and plunged two fingers deep inside her. It was sudden and she gasped, but she was already wet for me. I wanted to bend her over the kitchen table right now and fuck her, but we had things to talk about. I brought my fingers to her mouth, and she opened for me automatically. I pushed them deep into her throat where my cock had been earlier. To my delight, she suppressed her gag reflex and cleaned them easily with her tongue.

"There are many things that you are doing very well on," I told her as I fed her. "One thing that pleases me very much is your ability to withstand the restraint that I put you in as I make it tighter, more restrictive, and hold you that way for longer periods of time. It serves two purposes. One is to teach you that your body is mine and I will do with it what I please. The second is that I simply enjoy it. I want you to enjoy it too. With time, you will feel a sense of security in my bindings because they hold you to me. You may not believe me now, but it will come." She pressed her lips together as I said this, probably remembering her punishment more than anything.

"I do not tell you this often enough, but your blood is sacred to me. I will repeat myself because it is very important to me. And you give it to me freely, not only what I need, but also what I want. Many Vampires do not appreciate this gift from their humans, but I do. I respect you and hold you in the highest esteem for your gift. You give me your life's essence so that my life's essence does not fade away. I will protect you, and yes I will be very possessive of you, because you are literally my life. There, I have told you twice. I do not want you to ever forget. Ask me specifically, one at a time, the things you worry about. I can better answer that way."

"Well, I was going to ask about modesty, but… How is you feeding from me different than the offers you get from fangbangers? They would love to feed you." She asked confused and curious.

I knew she knew she was always more than a fangbanger and how sacred our bond was. I had to put this delicately as to not hurt her feelings. My prejudices and view of humans was a sore topic for My Dina. "This may be difficult for you to hear, but I will tell you the truth. Vampires in general do not think highly of the humans around them who preen and prattle off to us what they want. They want us to fuck them, drink from them, turn them. Please understand that I have lived on this Earth for a thousand years. Humans die. The lifetime of a human is very short to someone like me." I tried to keep my voice soft and gentle because I knew she would take this personally. She did not know that her life would go on past the lifetimes of everyone she knew. She did not know that I was going to turn her. Now she looked down at her lap, her feelings hurt because of my words. I had to make it right.

I leaned forward and put my hands on her thighs, caressing them with my fingers. "Yes, you are human, but those harsh words don't apply to you. I was attracted to you the moment I met you. You are very beautiful, but at first I thought you must not be very smart when you took on those fanatics to save that baby Vampire. He didn't know how to defend himself yet, to use his fangs, his speed, his strength. He still thought like a human. You saved his life. He wanted me to tell you how grateful he was but I was reluctant to approach you."

"Why?" she wanted to know, finally looking into my eyes.

There was another secret that she didn't yet know. "I will tell you later." I let my voice and my eyes tell her that the subject was dropped - for now. She seemed to accept this – but I felt her anxiety and irritation. I was proud she held her tongue. The reason I was reluctant to approach her was that I had very serious thoughts about kidnapping her, taking her against her will because I wanted her. But I knew I couldn't do that. I couldn't risk having her hate me or do something destructive to herself if she thought she couldn't get away from me… I wondered how she'd react when she knew I had considered taking her and spied on her. It wasn't terribly uncommon to steal a woman you wanted. It still happened in a number of places in the world. I doubted she'd handle the information well.

"In his defense, they did have silver." She began. "How am I doing with the things you want from me? Specifically the bondage and my modesty?"

I once again had to be delicate. I wanted her to simply 'get over it'. I honestly couldn't say she wasn't trying, it was just so very difficult for her. I would never get her body hang-ups nor the idea that she wanted to cover herself when I'd seen every last inch of her. Pam hadn't had as many issues overcoming modesty as my little one and she grew up covering most of her body in layers of clothes. I truly didn't understand her perspective nor the contrast between her and Pam in the issue. I wasn't judging; I was just perplexed. I sighed. "With regard to the bondage, you are getting stronger very rapidly. Even when you've taken my blood, there were injuries from the day before- such as at your doctor's appointment. Marks from ropes, handcuffs, leather things, are easier to heal with you taking less blood. Your body is getting much stronger and you are not panicking as much as when we first started. I think we need to restrain you every day or at least most days, so being bound isn't an unnatural state to you. I promise you, I have plenty of experience and our bond to rely on, there will never be harm done to you or risks taken with your life." I felt her recoil as I told her my plans to start binding her daily. I had already felt anger and irritation when I voiced my views about humans and told her to wait with her question. So far, she hadn't argued with me and had controlled herself well.

"First I feel compelled to make one comment," I told her. There was something I was afraid she didn't grasp. "What we are doing now, and will do in the next few days, weeks, or even months, is not necessarily going to be 'normal' for us. We have to work our way around to what feels right. So, if I say today that I'm going to do something, like binding you every day, we may find that it doesn't meet the need we were trying to get to by doing it, and stop. Does that make sense?" She looked at me with that straight-mouthed-brows-down-over-the-eye look that always meant there was something she wanted to say but either feared or was reluctant to say for another reason. I held my finger up briefly, which just made the look on her face more intense. "To give you answers specifically about the two things you mentioned, I am reasonably pleased but not 100% happy with the way things have gone. Before you think you need to defend yourself, the fault, if that is the right word, belongs to both of us. Dina, you are remarkably high spirited, and I like that about you. But that high spirit leads you to question and challenge me in areas where you should be trusting me and accepting what I teach you. Your modesty will only go away with time; there is nothing we can do to change the course of that. You may always be more modest than I want you to be, but you may always be more modest than I want you to be, but I do want you to know that I have to plans to willingly put you on display without proper clothing for others to see. You may take comfort in the fact that I can prohibit anyone, even a king, from touching or speaking to you. If we are put in a tough political situation, we will do what we must without allowing anyone else your blood or body to use – but they could possibly ask to view you. Or, if you put me in a position where my control over you was questioned, I would have to reestablish my dominance in front of those present. That is a warning to heed. With regard to the bondage, you are becoming more flexible and able to withstand it for longer and longer periods, which is good. We will continue to work on that. You are sexy when you are bound, but I also show it to teach you that your body is mine to control and only by my will are you able to move around unrestrained. This translates out to every other part of our relationship in different ways." Now that I was finished, I hoped she would say whatever it was causing her face to become so red trying NOT to say.

"Why is everything so overwhelming with us sometimes? Ugh…okay, when will things get normal? Is this trial and error? Do you have a plan?" I watched her straining, both physically and emotionally. She needed to stop fighting her bonds. It only made me realize she needed to be restrained more often, until it was natural for her. I knew she wanted a regular routine and to feel stable. Eventually that would come, but it was going to be a long hard road getting there.

"That depends on how long it takes for you to become comfortable submitting to me. You still fight me and question me – not like this. Not us talking, but you do rebel at times. Even now you are moving against your restraints. They are meant to keep you how I want you. You should embrace them… I have a plan and it changes as the situation calls for it to."

"Embrace my restraints?" her eyebrows shot up in what I thought might be a good imitation of myself. "I don't understand that at all!"

"The restraints I put on you may bind your limbs so that they cannot move, but they also serve as a metaphor for how you are bound to me. When a submissive shows no objection to her bonds it signifies her trust. You, on the other hand, show mild objection to the restraints, which shows me that I do not have your trust completely."

"But I do trust you!" she cried out, interrupting me. Clearly this was one point about which she was completely confused and frustrated.

"Do not interrupt me again!" I corrected her mildly, not wanting this to escalate into another argument. "Yes, you do trust me. You trust me not to hurt you, you trust me to drink from you, you trust me in many ways. But the deep down trust, for example the kind of trust that would have you walking into death with open eyes trusting that I would get you out the other side alive, that I do not have. If I took you to the top of a high cliff and asked you to jump, would you? Think carefully before you give me a knee-jerk answer here."

She turned her thoughts inward for a moment and I could see the wheels turning, but finally she would not meet my eyes, and I had the answer.

"This is what I mean, Dina. You know that I am a thousand times stronger than you. You know that I can fly. You know that I could easily catch you and bear you away to safety, but you would be unable to take that last step. That is the trust that we are missing, and that is the trust that I want."

"You're going to ask me to jump off a cliff someday?" She wondered, still mildly confused by the issue.

I reached out to touch her face. "I don't have any plans to, but never say never!" I smiled, trying to make a joke. Her answering smile was small and she dropped her eyes again. I decided to drop the subject and continue on with her question. "Your restraints, I hope, will also become a source of security to you." There was that look of consternation again. "Think about this. Why are those restraints on you right now?"

"Because you put them there," she said, shaking her head. "Beyond that I have no idea."

"If they were not there, what, or should I say who, might also be missing from your life?" It only took her a few seconds to get this one.

"You mean you would leave me if I didn't let you do this to me?" she cried out.

I sighed. "No. That is not at all what I mean. But it is me putting them there, isn't it? If I weren't here, neither would they be." I paused to give this some time to sink in. She nodded after a few minutes, and I thought I was finally making sense. "I know it is true that other relationships don't involve so many extra complications. But I am a true dominant, and this is the type of relationship I desire. It makes me very very happy that you agreed to do this with me." She still couldn't lean forward in her chair so I got to my knees in front of her, wrapped my arms around her, and kissed her lips softly. Then I kissed her a bit harder, and finally I kissed her fiercely, showing all of my dominance and possessiveness in that one little act. When I released her, we were both breathing hard. Her eyes were dark, and she looked at me with undisguised lust. I smirked at her, leaned in again, and bit her neck. She moaned as soon as my fangs pierced her flesh. I knew just how to touch her and used my fingers to bring her to a hard climax in just a few seconds. As soon as she came the taste of her blood changed, and it made my cock strain against my pants like it would climb out itself if I didn't release it. I reached down and adjusted it painfully. I was saving my lust for when we went to bed. Before we did that, I needed this talk out of the way. As I licked her wound closed and healed it, I laid my head on her chest to hear her still accelerated heart, loving the power I had over her. She had plenty of power over me too but I chose not to always show it. She rested her cheek on top of my head and we both remained still and silent until we were calm again.

"Come lover, I want to take you to bed." I began to undo her from the chair. I was going to continue to show my dominance. I had an urge to do so because of how she argued with me tonight. I had been calming myself so I wouldn't be too rough with her. I had to be responsible with her. She had entrusted her body, health, and safety to me. I wouldn't pull a dominance move or punish her while I was still so angry. I still remembered my anger at her defiance and the thought of her wanting contact with those who had known her body. I would endeavor to make her know I owned her. Our mating would be a true claiming tonight.


	24. Breach Of Privacy with EPOV

I want to thank everyone for the reviews and for voting in the poll. Wow! Really boosted my spirit. My coauthor is also very happy and thankful. We have been dabbling with future chapters and will begin the next one soon. We're also revising the old chapters and planning to post them on LiveJournal.

We'd appreciate any criticisms or suggestions we can have to perfect the story and gain more readers. (How about those lemons? Are they too long?)

Thanks again! ENJOY!

* * *

I helped her to her feet and she moved fluidly to let me lift her and carry her to our room. I thought her mood was improving. She didn't like it when we disagreed. I knew she'd try to bring us back to center.

"I like the view of your butt from this angle." She giggled. I knew her predilection for my backside.

"I enjoy your butt too lover… I'm going to show you that very soon." I promised her. I felt an anticipation and nervousness through our bond. Still, she didn't argue. I carefully sat her on the bed and pressed her to her side. She helped lift her legs and I rolled her on to her belly. I enjoyed her compliance as I fitted a pillow under her head and pushed the hair out of her eyes. I stroked her back and massaged her scalp. She loved that. I felt her curiosity and waited, hoping she would voice what was on her mind.

"Eric… why didn't you come to me after the incident with the vampire and Fellowship? Did you think I wasn't interested in you? I've heard that's never stopped you from pursuing someone before." She must have heard of my persistence from Sookie.

"Honestly… I found myself intrigued by you. I was curious enough to ask about you. Your friend and The Voluble Bill Compton probably revealed more than they meant to when I steered the conversation toward you. I wanted you even then." I watched her eyes widen with that information. I suppressed a sigh. Sometimes I doubted my Bonded knew her worth. "I considered just taking you, but decided I didn't want that."

"Wait… what do you mean 'just taking' me?" She asked with fear in her voice.

"Exactly as it sounds. I would have brought you here or to one of my homes and claimed you as my own. Our relationship would have been much the same as it is now."

"Eric… that's criminal! Not to mention terrifying. You actually considering taking me and forcing me –" She was scared. More so than I think she ever had been of me. It didn't aline with her views to be taken by a suitor.

"Lover, I did not do so. It was a thought. It's not a horribly uncommon practice. In my day, it was much more wide spread. Throughout history really – the Romans, most of the barbarians as history now calls them, Native Americans and many other cultures. It still happens often in parts of Asia, namely Kazakhstan, and by indigenous tribes who don't cooperate with modern society. It was a common practice amongst Vampires as well, though like with humans it began to be frowned upon as things become more integrated."

"Eric… that's still not okay. I can't believe you'd even consider that. Would you have… forced me?" She asked barely above a whisper. I kept playing with her hair.

"No, little one. That's also why I didn't do it. I would never have let you go, no matter how many times you would have asked me to. I would have had to keep you under close supervision and maybe even lock and key. If you felt so helpless you might have tried to do yourself harm, even though I would have treated you gently and tried to earn your affection. It has happened in other cases – even human on human kidnapping and forced marriages. I wouldn't risk you in such a way. Nor would I have ever raped you. I have told you before; I hold you in too high esteem to do that to you. I respect you."

"I don't know how to feel about this. I can't fathom anyone thinking its okay to take someone. Not you, not some other crazy culture. Sadly, I could see some Vampires taking no issues with it, but not you. You aren't that cruel or pretentious. It scares me you had these thoughts."

"I know. I am not asking you to be comfortable, Lover. We have not grown up the same way or had the same experiences. You are still human and I am Vampire. Those thoughts came from the Vampire in me. I was also a Viking; your very beloved college classes call me a barbarian. When I was human, our men would take women from across the water when they were in short supply and we needed brides. And before you ask, no, I did not personally do that. I give you my good and bad and let you sleep beside me as I enter my daydeath. Do you understand the trust I give you by allowing that? Most Vampires will secure themselves alone in an impenetrable chamber or lock their companion in a cage. You give me your everything and take my dominance. Can any of these strangers understand the caring and affection between us?"

"I doubt it. I think most people would see you as dangerous and abusive." She said with a just hint of wondering if they were right in her voice. It stung me more than I thought it would. But I understood – she was a modern woman.

"And yet, you experience my affection daily. You admit you trust me and I never use my position to hurt you. Even when you were punished you felt I was fair in doing so." I reminded her gently. "I know tonight has been a trial for you. Believe me; it wasn't easy for me either. I would like to move on to more physical activities. Are you ready for that?"

"Yea…we talked enough. I'll go over it in my journal later. And, Eric, _I_ do not see you as dangerous and abusive. I feel the need to make that clear." I couldn't help but beam at her words. She was turning to her journal without being told to do so. It also made me feel better than I thought it would to know that she didn't consider me dangerous or abusive. Who gave a fuck what other people thought? It was her opinion that mattered to me. I began to let her hair fall around her shoulders and down her back. Thanks to my blood, it was growing rapidly. I did need to discuss coloring it with Leila. Perhaps if Dina didn't keep arguing about talking with her past lovers, I'd let her pick her own hair color. I stroked her shoulders and ran my fingers down her bound arms. I was very turned on seeing her like this. I thought we'd both end up in a good place by the end of the night – she'd know exactly who her Master was and I'd feel better about her argumentative exchange with me. My fingers climbed over her cuffs and she opened her hands, extending her fingers. I rubbed her palm and she smiled. My roaming digits continued on their journey. I traced her backside and enjoyed the way she moved under me. My thumbs moved on the curve between her leg and butt. I felt her anticipating my fingers and she moved her hips. She was moist for me already. I traced her lips and teased her. I never penetrated her nor did I directly touch her clit. I waited for her to wiggle and show me her frustration. Only then did I allow her to the pleasure she craved. I was happily working her up and considered going out to get the middle of the spreader bar so I could attach it to her ankles and open her wider. I wanted her begging. I would deny her release until after we worked to further open up her other entrance. I lubed up my fingers and penetrated her surprisingly easily with my middle one. I added a second finger and moved them in a slow circle, brushing her clit softly with my other hand and making her cry out to me. I felt like I was touching her everywhere inside. She interrupted me just as the real fun was starting.

"Eric…ah, I have to go," she suddenly cried out frantically enough to get my immediate attention. She sounded disappointed and almost in pain, wiggling around like something was burning her. I gently removed my fingers and settled my hand on her lower back, softly rubbing in a circle.

"Go where?" I asked confused. I understood that something was dreadfully wrong, but what?

"Go… you know… to the ladies' room." She tried to clench herself, but it was hard with her legs spread open. This was the first time she had jerked against the bar since I fed her. I noticed her embarrassment spreading like wildfire. She even said 'ladies' room'. The sadistic beast in me lifted its head, enjoying her discomfort. I lifted her and carried her to the bathroom. I sat her down and pushed the hair out of her face. She looked at me and her eyes widened when I didn't move to leave. I wasn't going anywhere.

I gracefully moved to sit on the edge of the bathtub in front of her. I tried to look casual as she sat there trembling. She bit her lower lip and I knew she was fighting asking me to leave. We both knew I wouldn't.

"Don't you have to 'go'?" I asked using her word. I reached out to touch her knees, offering reassurance.

"I… I can't."

"Of course you can. Its fairly natural. You've done it before."

"Eric… Please. I have to go so bad it hurts! I really want to just go… and you are making it so hard!"

I listened to her come as close as she ever had to pleading with me. She was feeling very tense right now. Her emotions had stretched her resolve tonight. I was going to push her through this.

"Dina, we have discussed this. If you have to pee – and I know you do – then do so. I will sit here until you are finished. This isn't negotiable." I said firmly and didn't move from my position.

I watched her wiggle and sweat. She bit her lips and I could practically see words forming in her head. She suppressed them and the urge to argue each time. She made soft frustrated noises from behind her clenched teeth. I saw tears form in her eyes.

"Dina, I am growing impatient. You either relieve yourself or I'll punish you. And then I will bring you back here and you will end up using the toilet in front of me anyway. That is, if you don't wet yourself during your punishment." I watched her squirm again. "Just go. You will feel better."

She closed her eyes and dropped her head. I listened as the first drops hit the water. She stopped embarrassed, but quickly started again. I was always amused at how submissives seemed to prolong their humiliation unintentionally. If she'd just release in one attempt, it would take under a minute. Yet, instead we sat there for several minutes and she was slow to finish once she finally started. I watched as the tears rolled down her cheeks. Breaking her of the concept of privacy would be hard on her, but I would do it. She didn't let a sound escape her mouth. I didn't think she wanted to cry in front of me. I would allow that.

I gave her a moment. She didn't lift her head.

"Finished?" I asked. She nodded, silently.

"Can you uncuff me now?" She asked quietly. I heard her choke back a sob. Her voice was raw and pained.

"Why?" I fully admit that at this point I understood where she was coming from and what she needed to do. The sadist in me was enjoying the small torment I brought her.

"I need to… wipe."

"I'll handle it." I said calmly. Her eyes shot up. Terror spread through our bond.

"No!" she cried in a high-pitched voice. Her words were between a denial and a plea.

"I wasn't asking." I said as I turned to retrieve and wet a washcloth with warm water. I knew how hard I was making this for her so I would do it gently, giving her as much comfort as possible. I moved to kneel in front of her and she tried to pull away. She fought against the bar, but her legs remained wide apart. I ignored her. There were times when I would reprimand her and remind her who was in charge in an active manner. I would verbally castigate her. I would warn of punishments. I might even physically remind her of my control as I had before with small slaps, nips from my fangs, and other small amounts of pain that served more to remind her to behave than anything else. Other times I would simply ignore her and do as I pleased, as I was doing now. She understood I was in charge in these moments as I acted like she wasn't even there and her resistance meant nothing to the accomplishment of my goals.

She could no longer keep from crying. I listened to her cries and moved with her as she pulled away. I carefully washed her privates with the warm cloth. I lingered longer than what was necessary. I moved back to the sink and washed the cloth out with soap. I decided to end her torment. I wet another washcloth, this one a different color so she didn't think I was using the same one. I sat back in front of her and cupped her face. She didn't move as I wiped away her tears with, this time, a cool cloth. I gently pressed it to her forehead and then softly moved it over her temples and across her eyes. Her cheeks beneath her eyes were red, the skin irritated. I bloodied a finger with my fang and swabbed her skin with it. When I saw the skin heal, I wiped away the blood with the washcloth, which coincidentally was red.

"Shhh… It's over. There are no secrets and no shame between us."

I allowed her time to quiet herself. "We're going back to bed." I told her before lifting her up once more.

DPOV

If I had ever thought of the most humiliating thing I might ever have to do in my lifetime, this would not have been it. I would never have even imagined it! Not only had he watched me go but he… I let the tears fall freely but tried not to sob during the dozen or so steps from the bathroom back to the bed. He meant to have no privacy between us, he said. So far that seemed to mean that _I_ would have no privacy. He had plenty. I respected his things, his places, his ways, but he was cutting everything that was me down into nothing. He didn't speak but he stroked my legs and backside in a very non-sexual manner, as if hoping to soothe me. I would accept his comfort. I needed it. Even as he humiliated me, I needed him. I loved him. His care of me was heartbreakingly sweet. By the time we reached the bed my tears had stopped for the most part and I had resolved to stop fighting against Eric when what we needed was to come together.

I don't know if I winced or moved funny as he set me back down on the bed, once again on my stomach, but suddenly he grabbed my right knee and bent down to examine it closer. "Dina!" he barked at me. "How badly does this hurt you?" Oh God, now what? He started unbuckling the spreader bar from that knee, and then the other one, which was an immediate relief to me, but now I had a decision. Would I tell him how truly bad it had felt for the past couple of hours? There had been a pressure point that had gotten progressively worse but I'd been stoic and let it hurt, not asking him to release me. I thought he'd be proud of me for my resilience. "And don't even think about trying to gloss over the truth!" he ordered. "I will know!"

Well, that made the decision. "It's not that bad Eric…" I started to say.

"How Long?" he demanded again, using his hand as a source of cooling on the area that actually felt pretty bad.

"I don't know, maybe a couple of hours?" I offered.

"Why did you not tell me how much it hurt you?" He demanded. He had suddenly changed from the loving, understanding Dominant who had held me in the bathroom just a few moments ago. I didn't understand what had caused the change. "You are bruised and swollen back here! You will explain why you said nothing. NOW!"

He bellowed the last, bending down to put his face right next to mine. It wasn't like I could go anywhere. "I'm sorry Eric!" I tried to appease him.

"You know how much your apologies are worth when damage has been done!" he ranted. "Now, give me a straight answer or face punishment."

With punishment on the line I wasn't about to skirt the issue. "I thought you would think I was whining!" I told him. "You've just gone on and on about resisting my bonds and embracing my restraints! I didn't want you to think I was trying to get out of them!" The fragile veil I'd made to cover my emotions tore down the middle, and everything came out again. It was too much for one night! This was just one more thing for him to lay on me after so much already!

He pulled me upright and into his embrace, setting me on his lap so I could wrap my legs around him. "Once again I fear you were not listening completely," he said softly, kissing my forehead and each of my eyelids. He cupped my jaw between his fingers and stared straight into my eyes. "Two hours ago? Is that when it changed from annoying discomfort to real pain?" I nodded, trying to pull from his grasp, but he wouldn't let me. "You must watch out for this, Dina!" he insisted. "And you must tell me when it hurts. I want this to be clear." THE VOICE had come out, so I'd better heed what he was about to say. "I do not always bind you with comfort in mind. At other times I do not mean to cause discomfort. It matters not. It will be uncomfortable, probably more than it will be comfortable. The difference is when that discomfort becomes a persistent pain, a repetitious hurt, where you feel like something is wrong! You absolutely MUST tell me when that happens!"

"But what if it's nothing? You'll punish me!" I still had a hard time saying that word, and I couldn't meet his eyes as I said it now.

"I won't punish you unless you do it persistently and make me feel like you are trying to get out of something. But I WILL always stop and check to make sure nothing is wrong. I might make an adjustment or I might leave things as they are. But we will both be assured that I did check and found nothing that would do serious damage. Do you understand why you must always tell me?" He forced my gaze back to his.

And I really did! His words were logical to me. He'd promised that he wouldn't punish me just out of spite for disturbing him. I would feel more safe from now on, something I knew would make him happy. I told him so. And then I went on. "Eric, may I ask you a favor?"

He kissed my forehead and rubbed my shoulders. "Of course. Anything!"

"Please, will you look at my wrists? They ache from hours in these metal handcuffs." I didn't know why he liked the metal ones so much except that they had no give and no means of escape to someone like me. He could immobilize me completely with metal and chains and I'm sure it was one of his favorite things to do to me.

He lifted me to sit on the bed in front of him and picked up my aching wrists. I could feel him tracing the grooves in my skin where the metal had bitten in. In some places there must have been open wounds, because I felt him put something wet there. His blood? But in the end he just laid me back down in the center of the bed, again on my stomach, and ordered me not to move. Then he left. When he came back, I saw that he had more cuffs and chains and groaned inwardly. What now?

He fastened a leather cuff to each ankle and pulled them out tightly toward the edge of the bed. They were so wide that my inner thigh muscles were starting to protest, but I was fine. Then, after that, he removed the metal cuffs, finally! I knew him well enough to know that he wouldn't leave my hands free, and he didn't. He pulled my arms out in front of me and put a pair of very soft cuffs into my hands, then he laid himself out on the bed next to me. "Touch them," he said. I did. The leather on the outside was buttery soft, like the finest leather jackets I'd ever seen. But the inside was also soft! They were lined with something very soft – a material I didn't recognize. It wasn't slippery; it had some nap to it. It was a beautiful jewel-bright purple. "Are these more to your liking?" I turned my head and kissed him on the cheek, smiling shyly and then blushing and giggling.

"What is it?" He wanted in on the joke.

"Never in my life did I think I would lie in bed with a lover asking if I liked a soft pair of handcuffs." I blushed more.

"Well then, let's be done with the asking and move to the trying!" he whispered conspiratorially. He snapped his fangs at me, winked, and put them on my wrists. They were very snug but not tight. After that, he pulled them out toward the headboard, stretching my arms very very tightly. By the time he was done, my ankles were stretched as wide as they could be stretched without pulling muscle, and the way my arms were stretched so tightly toward the headboard made it impossible to move. I loved it when Eric tied me this way! I really felt his dominance. Every muscle felt his dominance. Very soon, he would take what was his. I shivered.

Eric noticed my shiver. "Is that fear, or anticipation?" he asked with a devilish smile. He threw one leg casually over mine, ending up with his knee between my widespread thighs. He sensually brought his leg up, pressing hard against my backside and spreading the cheeks. My God, his legs were long! When his knee was fully bent he pointed his toes and skimmed them lightly between my nether lips and virgin hole. I tensed immediately, but he was able to soothe me by rubbing my back.

"A little of both, I think," I whispered to him, highly embarrassed with the thought that he could have pressed his big toe… _there_. I didn't want to think about it! I could feel my face flaming red hot and I tried to hide it from him between my arms and the pillow. But Eric wasn't going for that.

"Oh no!" he scolded me. "You will not hide from me tonight!" he ordered, taking a smaller pillow and placing it between my upper arms so my head rested higher and he could see my face. He rose above me and moved his body between my legs. I could feel the hard length of his cock, resting dangerously close to the new territory it wanted to conquer. It almost felt like a threat.

"Eric?" I squeeked in a small voice as I felt him take it in his hand and stroke it a few times. He held himself above me on his other forearm and leaned down.

"Shhhhh," he tried to soothe me, his lips burning a trail from my earlobe to my neck and then to my own, capturing them gently and sucking my lower lip between his teeth. As he deepened his kiss, I felt the head of his cock slide between my cheeks and press against the tight hole. I flinched and tried to move away, but he persisted. "Be still!" Even though he whispered it, it was still an order. "Trust me!" he continued to soothe and distract me with his lips and fangs until I was beginning to relax, kissing him back and biting his lips as he did mine.

Then I realized what he was doing. He was drawing moisture in the form of precum out of his cock. As the lubrication spilled forth, he began to gently work his fingers around the tiny opening until finally, he pushed in with his middle finger.

That was when all hell broke loose! The lull that he had so expertly relaxed me into disappeared and I tensed up, making frightened noises beneath his kisses. He immediately stopped everything that he was doing as I lay there, shaking. His body seemed to implode around me; he pressed himself closer down on top of me, the tip of his cock pressed even more intimately against my frightened little hole as the lube he'd been applying had warmed and made the area moister. He now slid easily between my spread cheeks like he was home, but of course didn't try to penetrate me. Yet. His forehead hit the mattress beside my bound arm and he turned to look at me, his eyes full of disappointment even though there was a determined set to his features.

He sighed. "Dina, if you continue to panic we will get nowhere at all." he scolded me softly. The bond told me that he was like a tightly coiled spring that, if sprung the wrong way, would result in disastrous consequences. "If you fight me when I continue, it will only hurt you. I want you to have as much pleasure from this as I will."

"I'm trying Eric!" I squeaked at him, ready to cry again. "You caught me off guard!"

He smirked. "Trust me, Dina, I have no plans to start saying 'I will take your ass now!' in the middle of everything!" He tried to laugh at that but I didn't echo the sentiment. Maybe I _would_ need warning! Finally he told me "I want this to be good for both of us, but I begin to tire of your reluctance to even try. At some point, and that point is coming soon, my patience will wear out and I will not show you the care that I have been. If training you gently fails, we WILL do it the hard way. Understand?"

I stared at him, wide-eyed. He would do that to me? Yes, he would. I could see it and feel it. I was being a baby. I was thinking if I whined or failed enough times he would give up. That was not going to be the case, as I was slowly beginning to realize. I nodded silently at him.

"That is not good enough. Tell me. Speak to me, Dina."

"Yes, yes Eric, I understand." My voice was soft and frightened.

"What do you understand?" he demanded.

"If… If… If the training you are giving me doesn't work or if I won't cooperate, you'll…" I couldn't say it.

"What?" he was relentless.

"You will…" my voice dropped to a whisper. "You will take my… my virginity without trying to train or care for me any more."

"What do you think will happen if I do that?" he asked, his voice back to being gentle.

"It will hurt," I whispered. "I won't like it. But you'll do it anyway."

"It will not be my desire to hurt you, Little One, but yes, I will do it anyway." He held himself close to me for a long several seconds, his hands rubbing my shoulders, his body pressed close against my back. He leaned in, rubbing his cheek against my hair and his nose against mine. "Now," he whispered, "will you try harder? I want you to like this too."

When he put it that way, how could I tell him no? I mean, he made it perfectly clear that he was going to do what he wanted. I should be grateful for the fact that he was taking the time to ease me into it gently, and all I did was feel sorry for myself while fearing the inevitable. Even if I never, ever liked this, I would do it for Eric. "Yes, Eric," I said shyly, my face turning red.

He gave me a bright smile and kissed me soundly. That got my body all worked up and ready for his hands to go *almost* anywhere he pleased. He slid to his side of the bed and pulled something out of the drawer of his nightstand that I couldn't see. He messed with it for a minute before coming back to me. I opened my mouth to ask him what he was doing and he shoved in something fat and rubbery-tasting. He knew that I had a strong aversion to gags, and I instinctively spit it right back out. He sighed.

"Dina, did you not just tell me that you would try harder?" his voice contained more than a little bit of irritation at this point. "Answer. Out loud." He demanded.

"Yes, I did!" I said, confused.

"Then I will have to assume that your spitting this out was merely an accident, was it not?" He raised an eyebrow and stared at me.

He knew damn well that it hadn't been an accident, but I thought he was giving me an out. "No, no, Eric, I didn't do it on purpose." He nodded approvingly even though I'd just told him a bold-faced lie. I'd read him right!

"I need your help, Dina," he explained, holding the thing up for me to look at. It was weird-looking. It was in the shape of a fat, stubby little penis – nothing like Eric's – and in the opposite end from the head, I could see the end of a tube sticking out. There were straps on either side of it. He held it in front of my face. "Open!" he ordered, and I complied.

I didn't like it any better this time than I had the first time, but I didn't spit it out. It was hard to get a good grip on, and could slip out easily if I didn't pay attention. But then he made it easier for me, buckling the straps tightly behind my head and forcing the gag deeper into my mouth. I looked at him curiously, now unable to voice any question.

"Your help," he repeated. "I don't know if you noticed but there's a tube of lubrication in that little gag I just gave you. Your job is to suck on it. The harder you suck, the more lube will come out, and the more I'll give you. Pretend it is me." He winked and kissed my cheek, and I gave him a dirty look out of the sides of my eyes. Suck on a plastic cock for lube? He had to be kidding! I didn't do anything.

Eric began sliding himself between my parted ass cheeks, spreading them open with his strong hands. But pretty soon all of the moisture he had collected there was used up. He felt the end of the tube and it was dry.

"Okay," he said, "if that's the way you want it!"

He briefly slid his hand downward toward the hole that was aching for him, ran his fingers smoothly over the outer lips for a few seconds, then delved in between them for moisture. He had done nothing but hurt and humiliate me for the past half hour or so, and I wasn't very wet for him yet. He sighed again and his fingers brushed briefly over my clit, causing me to jump and moan. This made a little moisture happen, and he dipped his fingers barely inside of me and came back up to his target. Again, he massaged around it, making me squirm – it was so sensitive! Then he slowly, carefully moved his middle finger inside – dry! I didn't think he would persist, but he did.

"Mmmmpphhhh!" I screamed at him through the gag, which I would have spit out if the straps hadn't been holding it in place. The first hand continued its exploration of me, but my muscles didn't want to let him in. They were tight against him.

"Dina, relax! Let me in!" he ordered in his DOMINANT voice.

"Mmmmm-hnnnn!" was my refusal as I tried to squirm away from his hands.

"Do not try to evade me or there will be punishment for you!" he stated, and he moved the hand that had originally put the gag in my mouth back to spank me, hard, right in the cleft where my ass meets my thigh and everything starts to curve forward toward my pussy.. oh that would hurt when I walked! He did it again, and again, and at the end a few more times. I still protested. His finger finally forced its way past the tight ring at my entrance and was pushing its way in as Eric had done many times before, but this time it hurt! "You know what to do if you want lube!" he told me, his face close to my ear.

I got the message. He would do this with or without care for my comfort. I began to suck half-heartedly on the little penis, and a tiny drop of lube came out of the tip. Eric's finger immediately came up to retrieve it.

"Harder, Lover!" He encouraged me. "You can do much better than that, and it will make this feel good for you!"

I growled at him for once. He responded by pressing his finger deeper into me. I moaned in pain and began to suck harder, moving my tongue around trying to find the exact spot to press to release more lube. This was similar to the time he made me choke on his cock in an effort to lube him for my tired pussy. I sucked hard and as the lube was somehow pressed out, Eric reached up to catch it. I was surprised that it hurt when he pulled his finger out of me. I had hoped I would get released when he moved to lubricate it. Instead I almost choked on the stupid lube-gag in my mouth.

"Very good… come on, you'll want a little more than that."

I sucked harder at his encouragement. From where I was laying, I'd want a lot more. I thought about the pain thus far and moved to quickly empty more lube into his hands. My jaw ached.

"Alright, very good. I'm going to remove the gag. I want to hear you." I noticed the deviousness in his voice. I was happy when he pulled the terrible thing from my mouth. He set it on the nightstand. He moved to comfortably kneel between my legs. His wet fingers traced my hole.

"Remember to breathe." He chided. I breathed and tried to relax my noncompliant body. I was fearful. Both from the previous pain and the expectation of pain already thriving in my head. His finger gently pushed into me. It popped past the tight ring and I moved involuntarily.

"Your body wants to push OUT, we need to train your muscles and reflexes to allow me to get IN. This is similar to your gag reflex. You can control both. Believe it or not, pushing out will relax the muscles enough for me to penetrate. So, I need you to bear down and concentrate on opening yourself the way you do when we have sex."

I loved getting a biology lesson from my Bonded as he pushed his fingers into my butt, while I was tied to the bed. My night was just improving in leaps and bounds. After he worked in the first finger, I began to relax. I was surprised by a few things. Firstly, I really felt like I had to use the bathroom. I knew I was clean, but that was the urge I had. Secondly, his finger felt good after a while and enough lube. When he moved to the second finger, I felt some discomfort and the feeling that I had to 'go'. I concentrated on the urge to 'push' and tried to accept him. As with the first one, it felt nice after a few moments. I began to moan.

"Hmm, see I told you it would be enjoyable if you cooperated."

"Hmm… you did. It is." I mumbled. He chuckled.

I enjoyed the sensations and relaxed. I actually wondered if I could cum from this alone. I didn't think about that much longer however…

"I'm going to increase this now, Lover." I was surprised at his words and he must have felt it. "Remember the goal is to prepare you for… bigger and better things."

Oh dear, he thought he was a comedian. I wish he realized he laughed harder at his own jokes than anyone else did. I had no laughter in me about this.

Before I could think about the implications of his statement, I felt his fingers picking up the pace. It was nice, but was beginning to get rough and made me sore. I decided after a few moments I could deal with the discomfort. I'd had worse. But then he began to spread his fingers apart, effectively stretching me. I yelped and jerked my hips. He never lost pace as he thrust quickly into me, bent, unbent his fingers, and scissored them apart inside of me.

"Eric it doesn't feel good any more… it's not enjoyable!" I cried out to him.

"I know, Lover. It will get easier with time."

He kept going and I stopped relaxing. He fought past my resistance.

"It hurts –"

"Not as much as my cock would if I took you right now." He reminded me. I tried to force myself to be calm once more and lay still. "Arch your back for me, Lover!" he suddenly commanded. At first I didn't know what he was talking about, until he pressed his hand into the small of my back. I fought back the urge to moan in complaint and obeyed. This changed the way his fingers felt, the angle was more natural and it hurt less.

Everything inside of me was very sensitive and each finger as it was pressed in and out gave its own rush of sensation. I started to wonder again if I could come from this. "Eric?" I practically moaned his name.

He didn't stop what he was doing – his fingers kept fanning out and stretching me. "Yes, My Lover?" He punctuated that with a particularly deep thrust of his finger that hit a spot that set something off. I didn't think women had the same parts as men had in their butts that could make them orgasm from this. But I had to ask.

"Could I cum from this?"

"Are you asking permission, or is this a hypothetical question?" He sounded amused.

I sighed. "Knock it off, Eric, and just answer the question!" For that he punished me with a hard push into a place I hadn't felt him before, and I jerked with pain. But the pain quickly turned to pleasure.

"You have had a hard night so I will let that fly – once," he said in a hard voice. Silence reigned between us for a few moments. He didn't like the words 'I'm sorry,' so I didn't know what else to say. But then, his whole demeanor changed. "Do you want to find out?" he asked mischievously, and his touch also changed. Instead of deliberate stretching movements designed to make me bigger somehow, his fingers would push in to me and them blossom outward like flowers. Then Eric would turn his hand slowly and a new rush of sensations would follow.

"That… That does feel good," I moaned, arching my back more for him.

"Open yourself to me," he ordered softly, now that we seemed to be on the same page. "You know what I mean. When I take you, you push back and open everything wide for me. I wish for you to do that now."

I was in some kind of new space where all there was in the world was Eric's fingers and Eric's voice. I arched again and did as he said, opening everything wide, and felt a heavy throbbing in my core that had nothing to do with any part there being touched!

Eric kept going and I pushed my ass as high in the air as I could for him. It was hard with my restraints but I moved closer to him. I wanted these new sensations very badly. I noticed his pace slowed, but got a pleasant surprise – the tip of his cock began to rock back and forth, against my clit. I started to moan, squeal, and whimper for him.

"Ahh…Eric! Eric!" I screamed as I came for him. My orgasm made my whole body explode. Before the aftershocks stopped, I felt his cock sliding into my very wet pussy. His fingers slowly withdrew from my back entrance. His thrusts were hard and purposeful. I managed to get in one more small orgasm before he finished.

I laid there, panting. I think He exhausted my body. My butt and cunt were tingling with the after effects. I let my body relax, every single muscle. I loved the feelings I was still having from the pleasure he had given me. I couldn't help it. I had to say it. "Thank you, Eric," I breathed.

I briefly wondered if I would fall asleep. I assumed he'd wake me since we normally stayed up until dawn. I got my answer as his fingers began to rub a thick amount of lube on my hole. I felt his fingers again penetrating me. They slid in easier this time. I was loosened and I think the orgasm relaxed my sphincter. Funny, an orgasm usually tightened my vagina. He moved his fingers away and I felt the bed shift. I figured he was getting more lube or putting it away. Next I felt something at my entrance. It wasn't his fingers or his cock, it was very hard and pressing into me.

"Eric?" I tried to look back.

"Our fun is just starting. Be still. You know how to relax your muscles now."

"What is that?" Gosh, had he ever thought a girl would want to know what was about to go inside of her?

"I actually hadn't planned on introducing something like this so soon, but in light of the conversation we had earlier…" He stopped talking, leaving me to think back and try to guess what he was talking about.

EPOV

I knew she had absolutely no idea what I was talking about, but she would soon enough. Right about the time she felt that I had changed the lubrication we were using. I had been able to keep them in check so far, but now that I was about to reveal my real mood, my fangs clicked into place. She heard them.

"Eric?"

I truly didn't need more words from her to know that she was getting anxious again. Her hips began to move restlessly as the new lube took effect. It was the type that provided a tingling sensation, but no heat. I liked to describe the feeling as having one of Dina's bubbly "pop" drinks poured over your skin as you felt moisture and the popping of the bubbles at the same time. But the bubbly sensation would be more intense the more I applied, and I had used a lot. She accepted the intrusion of the new butt plug I had gotten out to play with inside that outer tiny rosebud with surprising ease. But as I pushed it up against the second barrier she jerked her hips violently, trying to dislodge it. I still hadn't said anything to explain why my fangs had made an appearance and could feel that making her more nervous.

"What is that? It hurts, Eric! Take it out, please!" I didn't have to look at her face to know that her tears were flowing again. I sat between her widespread thighs, "indian-style," and set my hand heavily down on her lower back. At the same time I was able to use my knees to press down on her thighs, holding her still. She continued to try to jerk her hips around but was only able to effect a little bit of squirming.

"Do you remember a while ago?" I began, sure she was listening for an explanation of this new "torture" I was inflicting on her. "You told me that I was all up your ass. Well, I wasn't then, but I am now, wouldn't you say?" My voice was relatively calm but I let slip some of the resentment I felt about her refusal to completely give up some of her past lovers. I wasn't ready to slide the plug in to the hilt – that was coming – but I did maneuver it around and put some pressure on the barrier that she didn't yet understand how to open for me.

"You're upset about that?" she said, startled.

"Not upset, no," I replied calmly. "More like disappointed. I really thought my feelings meant more to you than that."

She surprised me then with quite a bit of backbone. "I refuse to discuss this with you again, Eric, with you threatening to shove God-knows-what up my ass as a punishment!"

"This?" I asked, giving the plug an even harder twist as I pushed it slightly inward. "I am not threatening you with this. It is going in – that is not a threat. Nor is it a punishment. We are simply progressing toward your being able to take my cock here." Then I remembered that she'd already sassed me once. "I told you that I would allow your attitude once. However, that was twice. Speak civilly to me or there will be punishment!" Her eyes closed and she buried her head under arms and pillows. I had tied her into an extremely physically vulnerable position so it was natural, I guess, to want to try to regain some ground from me verbally. Too bad for her that I wasn't going to allow it. Then I thought I'd up the ante. "Besides, this little plug is nothing. I am easily twice its length and in girth, well you probably don't want to know." I was sure the thing felt huge to her right about now. I enjoyed the little shiver that went through her body after that comment. She knew that I was telling the truth.

The plug actually was a punishment, of sorts, for her comment about me being up her ass. But it was also useful in her training, even if I was using it sooner than I had intended. Before her body had gone completely cold from her climax, I wanted to have it inside of her. I never wanted her to be afraid of anal sex or think of it in a negative fashion, so I gentled my tone. "This is a new lube that adds some stimulation. It does not heat up but I thought it would help you to feel your muscles working as we do this." My hand on her back became a caress. She was listening closely to me even though I still couldn't see her face. "Remember, I want you to push out as I push in. Everything inside here has been cleaned out today; you know that. You will not make a mess."

"But it still hurts!" she told me.

"I know it is uncomfortable, Dina, but it is not hurting you. The tingling goes away after a few minutes. It will not burn you inside and it washes out with water." I tried to reassure her but I was getting impatient. It was becoming difficult to hide my impatience and I'd been hiding my general agitation all evening. "I'm going to push in now, and I want you to push out. This will open you up and it will slide in. I am going to add more lube." I had a smooth, thin "syringe" of sorts – no needle – full of the lubricant I was using. I was easily able to slide it in next to the plug and emptied it inside of her.

She cried out! "That's making it worse!"

"No, this will make it better, I promise." The tingling that felt so harsh to her now would mellow to a low stimulating feeling that would keep the skin sensitive. She would feel every move the plug made inside of her a bit more intensely than without this particular lube, but that was what I wanted. I would ask her to journal about it. "Now, as I said, bear down, push out! Now!" I began moving the plug in a circular direction as I felt her struggle to do as I asked.

"It isn't working!" she cried out.

In fact, it was working. "Just keep doing what you're doing. Don't tense up. Push outward to open yourself, as you did for me before. Arch your back again if it helps." She whimpered and moaned but I could tell she was trying, and suddenly her inner muscles gave way. I was pushing in fairly hard and backed off quickly so I didn't hurt her. I slid it in as far as I could without losing hold of the end, and she tried to squirm away from me again. I had to laugh. "Dina, you can't squirm away from it. It is buried in you! How does it feel?"

"Just give me a minute here!" she spoke through gritted teeth, obviously trying to come to terms with this new sensation. I reached beneath her with my free hand and applied some of the stimulating lube to her clit directly, going beneath the hood. Again she tried to jerk away but I held her still. "Oh, my God!" she began to moan and cry out. My fingers were full of the lube so I took a few seconds to rub it in to her sensitive skin, her outer and inner lips, and then inside. "Eric, stop that!" she moaned breathlessly.

"You want me to stop?" I repeated, stopping all my movements. This earned an even louder moan form her.

"No! Ohmigod – yes! No! I don't know just…." She continued to squirm as much as I would let her. I understood what she wanted. I fanned out my fingers, moving them downward from her thoroughly plugged hole, across her wide-open nether lips, and centered my attention on her clit. It only took me a few circles around with a gentle finger before she was screaming with her climax. "Eric, Eric!" she whimpered at me, trembling.

Maybe she thought I would let her rest now, but I had a point to make. With my fangs still out, I kissed, nipped, scratched, bit, and licked my way up her back to her shoulders and neck, covering her body with mine and leaving small wounds to bleed in my wake. The smell of the blood was like an aphrodisiac to me. If my fangs could have grown any longer at that moment, they would have. As I swept her hair to the side, she pulled her face out from under her pillow and smiled her sexy smile at me, the one that was reserved for me alone. I smiled back, and made a show of licking my first two fingers clean before biting the tips of both and thrusting them into her mouth. She took them and sucked them deep like she was working on my cock. Then without warning I struck at her neck, thrusting my cock hard into her at the same time. Her answering moan was not one of terror, but one of ecstasy.

I didn't move inside of her as I took her blood. This was a pure moment of primal claiming and taking for me. My fangs were in her neck, my blood was going down her throat, my cock was in her pussy, and my plug was in her ass. I enjoyed the sensation of the stimulating lube. It made me growl and push in to her harder. I held on to her tighter than I needed to, growling deep within my chest. This was one area where I did enjoy her full trust. She lay, relaxed, beneath me, making soft sounds of desire and contentment. If she could have, she would have held me tightly to her. I breathed in her essence, my face surrounded by her hair and her soft skin. This was home for me. This was mine. She was mine.

Once again there was the urge to turn her, now, to take all of her blood inside of me and replace it with my own. She would truly be mine then, forever. I would have more dominion over her than I did now and she would have to obey my maker's command as well as accept my will as her Bonded and Dominant. The thought of the day when that would be true caused my cock to swell inside of her and I had to move. I pushed deep, withdrew a little, and did it again. I wanted more of myself inside of her but I was already giving her everything I physically could at that moment. I sent my lust and possessive feelings at her through the bond and she responded with love. For all the bickering we had done this evening, in a moment when she couldn't speak, the message she sent was her love. She was truly amazing!

I withdrew my fangs and healed the wound I'd made. When I caught her eyes she blinked at me, her eyes full of the same message the bond had sent, and smiled around my fingers. The wounds had closed but she still held them deep within her mouth, sucking and licking like they were the best treat imaginable. I pulled them out slowly and kissed her, sharing more blood in the process. I felt the power of our bond between us and knew we were operating on the same frequency. It made me feel powerful, especially having just shared our blood and being buried deep inside of her. But that would belie the words I was about to say.

"Dina, I feel a disconnect between us and it distresses me," I began, moving my hips back and forth to make sure she felt me within her as I spoke.

"A what?" she started to say. I covered her lips with a finger.

"I want you to tell me," and I pushed deep within her, "who you belong to." I looked at her fiercely while her eyes reflected confusion.

"You, of course," she whispered.

"What did you give to me when you agreed to this relationship?"

"I gave you my love," she said.

"What else?" I could tell she still didn't understand what I wanted from her.

"My, my body?" I nodded approvingly and waited. She knew there was more. "My soul, until I go to God." She whispered, looking down. She wasn't entirely comfortable with that one yet, I knew. She didn't know I would never let her "go to God."

I was encouraging. "Yes, there is more."

She nodded. "My life is in your hands. You have everything, Eric. What are you getting at?"

"Yes, everything, but there is one more word. What is it?" I couldn't remain still within her any more and I pulled back and pushed deep a few more times until I had myself under control. We needed to be this close for me to make my point.

She was genuinely at a loss, and had to search for the word I wanted. Finally, she found it. "My.. will?" she asked me.

"Yes, my Dina. You gave me your life. Your heart. Your mind. Your body. Your will. Did you lie to me when you gave me those things?

"No!" she protested, starting to squirm uncomfortably beneath my close scrutiny. I held her still. She was going nowhere and we were doing this on my terms.

"There is no backing out on those promises, you know. I will hold you to them."

"I know you will! Eric, what are you getting at?" She asked a second time.

I could feel her intent through our bond. She meant what she said and had no intention of backing away. But there were too many times, like tonight, when she argued or questioned what she should not.

"I want no misunderstandings between us. You are mine, Dina. Mine. Every part of you is mine. I do this," I grabbed the end of the plug I had stuffed her with and rotated it, causing her to jump and moan a bit painfully, "because your ass is mine to do with as I please. Is it not?"

"Yes!" she gasped while I rotated the plug some more. I knew it was uncomfortable because it was her first time. I was making a point.

"Are you saying this because you want me to stop moving it, maybe take it out?"

She looked down and I felt her uncertainty. She had more to say than yes or no.

"Tell me!" I ordered.

"I- I'm not sure I like it Eric." She blushed and my cock jumped. I loved it when I made her blush. "I do wish you'd stop moving it. I do wish you'd take it out. But I know you won't. And I know you won't because I am yours. My – that part of me is yours." She wouldn't look at me. I thought about making her tell me exactly what part was mine, but I decided to be easy on her.

"Who does this belong to?" I thrust into her again, deeply, and she knew I was talking about her pussy.

She blushed again. "Yours Eric."

I put my hand around her throat and squeezed lightly. "This?" This was where I bit her most of the time.

"Yours."

My hand strayed beneath her and plucked at one of her nipples. "How about these?"

"Yours Eric." She was so embarrassed now that she wouldn't even open her eyes.

"We had several disagreements this evening. What was the result of each?"

It took her a few seconds to put together a sentence. "We did what you wanted."

"Even when I compromised, I had the final word. Why was that?"

"Because you are…" she hesitated.

"I am what?"

I thought she wasn't going to answer, she was silent for so long. Just as I was about to reprimand her for refusing to answer, she whispered. "Master."

"You have all the right answers, little one. Now we shall see how you follow through in the future." I finally let my agitation show in my voice.

"Eric I…" she started to say.

"Be silent!" I hissed at her. "Think of my words. You will journal about this tomorrow!" I could feel how stunned she was at my words through our bond, but she obeyed me. I couldn't hold back any longer. "I claim you, my Dina. You are mine!" I growled into her hear and then I let loose. I fucked her hard, deep, without mercy. I could feel the plug filling up her other hole and it was a whole new set of sensations for me. I could only imagine how it felt for her. "Mine!" I growled again, grabbing a handful of her hair and pulling her head back. She had her eyes closed and her face was expressionless, but then she opened her mouth and moaned my name, and I felt her inner walls convulse around me. She bared her teeth and sucked in her breath, riding it out. Selfishly I wanted to bite her again but held myself back from that. I continued to pound into her until my cock swelled and I expelled my seed into her hard and deep. I growled again and continued to pump until there were no more shocks left to ride out. Then I collapsed atop her, barely able to hold myself on my forearms. She was silent, unmoving. I had just fucked her angrily, something I'd never done before. Perhaps she was afraid to move, waiting to see what I would do next.

I had lectured and fucked the madness away. I reached up to loosen the cuffs on her wrists and she moved her arms slowly, rubbing each wrist. When I disconnected from her, the sensation of me sliding out made us both sigh with regret. We both loved the feeling of me buried deep inside her, unmoving, after satisfying our lust for each other. At Vampire speed I removed the cuffs at her ankles and returned to the bed after only seconds. I gathered her into my arms, half expecting her to reject me. She didn't. Instead she wrapped her arms around me and held me tightly.

"Did I hurt you?" I whispered, half afraid of the answer.

"Not physically," she replied. I admired her tenacity in being able to answer honestly after the way I'd just acted. "Eric?" She was brushing the hair out of my eyes with her hands and looking up at my face.

"Yes?" I kissed her fingertips as they brushed by.

"You're angry with me?"

"Was. Not any more." I'd gotten it out of my system.

"You waited all night and let it build up. Couldn't we just talk about it?"

"There was so much to do…" Even I knew this was a lousy excuse, even though we had been busy.

"And you kept me tied up all night!" She looked accusingly at me.

"For a purpose," I reiterated from earlier.

"How can I come to you, hold you, make you feel better if I can't move around?" She asked me. "Don't you like my touch any more?"

"We will figure something out," I told her, knowing that I was going to keep her restrained a lot more in the future until she was able to settle better into our relationship. "Here, let me help you with that," I insisted, seeing that she was trying to rub her own back to get rid of the stiffness my restraints had caused. I put her on to her stomach and proceeded to work on her shoulders, arms, back, thighs, and calves. She sighed with contentment.

"Eric you are so good with your hands!" In response, I wiggled my eyebrows at her.

"Stay there," I told her, getting up and leaving the bed. She sighed as she watched me get into the "toy closet." She probably knew that every time I got in there it was for some kind of restraint. This time was no exception. I came back with a long chain and a couple of locks. I measured off the distance between her side of the bed and the washroom, but not all the way to the shower. I made the chain about that long and attached one end to an eye bolt in the baseboard next to the bed. Then I sat down to explain. "I made a decision tonight. This won't be permanent, but I am going to restrict your movements while I rest. You'll be chained by your ankle; you'll be able to go far enough to take care of your human needs and to sit at the table there and journal. I'm also bringing your laptop in here. You won't be able to shower or eat a full meal until I am with you. Do you understand why I feel the need to do this?"

"You don't trust me?" she asked, staring in horror at the chain I was holding. "Eric, I don't understand. Is this a punishment for something?"

"It has nothing to do with trust!" I stated firmly, shaking my head. "I have no reason not to trust you." And, if she did or got into anything she shouldn't, I would know immediately. "Punishment, no, but you may feel like it is. You are thinking too much outside of our relationship. You need to look to me for everything you need, and you need to settle in. I will keep you busy while I can't be with you and we will work on your training while I can. Now, come here." I wanted to attach the chain to her ankle, but she didn't move.

"Don't I have a say in this at all?" she demanded, upset.

There it was again. She was questioning me instead of obeying me. "I guess you do," I said smoothly. "You can have the chain on your ankle or be tied to the bed with a bedpan. Take your pick." If she fought me on this, I would tie her to the bed and she wouldn't move at all until I woke. A day of two of that might make her more agreeable to this.

She looked at me in horror for a few seconds, then she sighed and her shoulders slumped. "This is killing my self-esteem, you know?" She scooted to me and allowed me to attach the chain to her ankle. It was lightweight but strong, and the cuff was soft. It wasn't meant to be uncomfortable or cumbersome.

"Dawn is coming fast, or we would discuss that now," I told her. "Given that fact, I want you to write it in your journal. Hurting your self-esteem is not my goal here. What can I bring in here as a snack for you during the day?"

"Um, there are some granola bars in the pantry, and a couple bananas I need to eat."

I nodded and went out to the other room to collect the things she needed. I set up the laptop to show her some specific information the next time she used it, and then I climbed back in to bed. "Come on, let me hold you before we both pass out." I had an ulterior motive for chaining her to the bed. I had loved to find her there with me, warm, soft, and naked, that evening when I woke. I wanted to experience that every night. But it was not my only reason for what I was doing. She truly did need to become more grounded in our relationship. Holding her as close to my side as possible as much as possible would accomplish that, I hoped. It could have the opposite effect. If it did, I would take other measures. But for now, I would keep her close.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" she asked me. I looked at her curiously. She had lain back down on her stomach and pointed at her backside. "This… thing?"

"No."

"You're leaving it in there?" Barely recovered from the upset of the chain, she looked stricken.

"I am." I was trying to soothe her with my calmness, sending it through the bond as well. I reached out to her and she looked at me like I was crazy. I used my Vampire speed to move forward and haul her into my arms, bringing her back to the center of the bed with me and pulling the covers over both of us. She struggled but only halfheartedly. She knew she was no match for my strength. She started to cry.

"This is overwhelming Eric! I don't know how to feel!" I pulled her close and she let me. I cursed the dawn that I felt rapidly approaching. I wouldn't be able to make this right before it pulled me under.

"Let it out," I soothed her, rubbing her back. "I am here but dawn will force me to sleep soon. I am not leaving you on purpose."

"I know Eric. That isn't your fault," she sobbed into my chest. I could read what she didn't say. The dawn wasn't my fault. The fact that she was upset was.

"It is not punishment," I repeated. "It is another step in your training, to help you give that part of yourself to me when you are ready."

"Who decides when I am ready?"

That was the last thing I heard before dawn forced me into my daytime slumber.

Dina POV

I don't know how long I laid there and cried, clinging to Eric desperately. He was my lifeline and I needed him to explain all of this to me. But he couldn't, because he was a Vampire. Dawn had come and he was, quite literally, dead to me for the next 12 hours or so. He had wrapped his entire body around me before He went to sleep. Now his limbs formed a cage around me, a cage that I did not want to escape. I tried to force all of the negative thoughts out of my mind so I could relax and hopefully go to sleep. Like a miracle, somehow a calm and soothing feeling flowed through the bond from Eric. It was just like last night, when he had sent me happy feelings right before he woke. There was still some consciousness in him. I told him that I loved him and I was sorry to be such a pain in the ass. Then a new thought occurred to me. My ass! How was I supposed to sit and write in my journal or type on the computer with this thing shoved up my ass? Somehow, Eric knew what I was fretting about, because I caught a feeling of sadistic glee coming from him through the bond. "You are such a rat sometimes, Eric!" The sadistic glee turned into dominant possession. I sighed. There was nothing I could do about it, so I might as well stop thinking. After a little while, with Eric somehow still sending me soothing feelings, I was able to go to sleep.


	25. Yellow with EPOV

My coauthor, Shadokat, and I (Wolf22) would like to address some of the recent reviews we've been getting about the BDSM content of this story. First of all, for anyone who has taken the time to review, THANK YOU. That goes out to everyone whether your review was positive or negative. We need those negative comments to know what we are doing wrong. We're having a hard time understanding the way some readers are interpreting the relationship between Eric and Dina.

*First of all, Dina is not afraid of Eric. There are things she's not sure about, like in the last chapter where he tied her too tightly and she didn't say anything. It wasn't fear that kept her from speaking up. It was uncertainty. In a Dominant/submissive relationship, especially during training, the submissive cries a lot and feels uncertain because little by little her barriers are being broken down so that she can belong completely to her Dominant. That is part of what's happening here. People who are unfamiliar with this relationship dynamic may see it as unhealthy or abusive when it is far from that. Also, Dina has a history of taking on too much without asking for help. Eric is trying to work with her on this, as we've seen.

*Eric loves Dina deeply. He doesn't understand yet that he does. When he demanded that their relationship change to D/s and that he wanted her to live with him, he did it partially out of fear for her safety. He freaked out and wanted her with him every minute. He's also a Dominant and craves this relationship, so yeah he was a little bit selfish too. She had a choice and she chose to give this new thing a try with Eric. They may write up a contract between them as many of you have suggested. Thank you for bringing it to our attention that we neglected to even mention it.

*We'd also like to note that if Eric needed D/s as a deal breaker, he needed to tell her. If she gave/gives him a deal breaker, such as monogamy, its likely most people won't be angry with her. I (Wolf22) was also a little offended by the notion that because Dina is a woman she is ruled by emotions and need for a relationship. Eric has never put her down or lowered his opinion of her because of her sex and we won't either. (Remember our Viking has one child and chose that female to be his second and most trusted ally)

*We are making a huge effort to show love between them, especially coming from Eric, and happy playfulness. Are those scenes too short? Some readers don't seem to see that part.

*Eric is not perfect. He makes mistakes. He's making a lot of mistakes. We know that. We are doing that deliberately. We want you to see him making mistakes so it feels that much better when he improves.

Please keep the reviews coming. We appreciate all of them. We are glad you choose to read our story and hope you'll keep coming back. Thank you! Now please enjoy the chapter.

* * *

Dina POV

I slept. I slept hard. I only woke up twice. Once to adjust the blankets as best I could with the chain on my ankle. The other time I had to pee. I didn't want to move. I was so tired. The urge to pee got me up – slowly. I was stiff and didn't enjoy walking with a chain on my ankle. I noticed something the second I moved to get up – my butt hurt when I moved because of the plug. Each step was discomfort. I wasn't used to constant penetration of this part of my body. The pain was worst when I sat down on the toilet with my legs open and my weight straining on my lower half.

I considered taking the plug out. It would ease the pain. However, I worried how it would feel as it came out. But more than anything else, I knew Eric would be furious. I never feared him seriously hurting me or ever punishing me unfairly. I was certain he wanted the plug in and if I took it out, I would be punished. I cringed at the thought of what he'd do. I quickly peed and wiped. I glanced in the mirror, but knew I had to look terrible. I felt terrible. I moved with my chain back to bed. My bottom was sore and I sincerely hoped Eric wouldn't keep one of these in me all day again.

I glared at my resting Vamp. I was so mad about how he left me last night. Not so much that dawn took him from me, but that he left me plugged and chained up. I glared at him before slipping into bed beside him. I had no energy and went back to sleep within a few minutes. Typically it was hard for me to fall asleep and to stay asleep. I woke up here and there during the night – well the day now – and then dozed back to sleep. I had already been resting for a few hours. I hoped to get up soon and actually do something, but I just had to lie back down right now. I was so tired.

Eric POV

I opened my eyes to a delicious scent. My Bonded lay next to me in bed, soft and warm and always willing. I pulled her to me and used my fingers to pull her collar down closer to her chest. Then I stuck my nose into the soft place between her jaw and her shoulder, nudging her gently to make sure I could feed. She complied by turning her head away from me, completely relaxed. I kissed her neck a few times, licked the salt from her skin and gently bit, loving my first meal of the night.

After about thirty seconds her body suddenly tensed and she tried to pull away from me. Out of instinct I growled loudly and used one hand to force her head to remain still while I pinned her hands and arms with my other hand and immobilized her body with my legs. My cock had already been hard for her, but now the lust I felt was maddening!

"Eric! Stop!" I heard her cry. Why was she telling me to stop? Why was she struggling? Her voice seemed to be a long way away because the sound of her accelerated heartbeat and the blood racing through her veins had become thunderous in my ears. Feeding from the unwilling was beyond exciting for a Vampire! I bucked my hips, stroking my cock against her soft skin in the space between her hipbone and her stomach – so close to where it wanted to be the most! She was frantic as she jerked away from it, or tried to with as much movement as I was allowing her, which wasn't much.

But something was wrong! Dina usually welcomed my attentions and enjoyed my feeding. Why was she struggling? I finished my meal, sealed and healed the wounds, and let go of her, releasing my hold on the rest of her body as well. She pushed at me and jumped off the bed, backing away from me until she had retreated into the washroom.

My predatory instincts came alive and I jumped up to follow her at my own speed. When I suddenly appeared in front of her she held her hands up and said "No! Eric please!"

It was at that moment that the beast inside of me backed off, letting the man come forward. "Dina, Lover, what is the matter?" I held my hand out to her but she tried to back away, and couldn't. I heard the sound of metal against wood and looked down. Oh, yes! I had chained her to the bed to keep her near me and teach her that I could restrict anything and everything she did.

"Why are you feeding on me when I'm asleep?" she shrieked at me.

I was confused. When I had nudged her she had turned her head, I thought to give me access to her neck. But thinking back, nothing else on her body had moved or made any kind of gesture to welcome or encourage me. My waking mind had not yet felt the bond between us, which would have told me she wasn't awake. "You were sleeping?" I had to ask.

"Yes!" She was shaking and started to cry. I hated tears, especially coming from her. I had learned, only in the past months actually, how to deal with a crying woman about whom I cared. She couldn't move any farther away from me, so I went to her and, even though she struggled, pulled her into my arms.

"Ssshh, Dear one," I said softly, stopping her struggles and holding her tightly to me, rubbing her back with one hand. After a few seconds, she put her arms around me. This told me that she was accepting my comfort. I picked her up and carried her back to the bed. As I lay her down, I dialed the combination to unlock the lock that held the chain to the cuff around her ankle, and then I pulled her to the middle of the bed, wrapping both my arms and legs around her.

She continued to cry for a few minutes but gradually quieted. "I'm sorry for flipping out like that Eric!" she shook her head, put her hand on my chest and looked up into my eyes. The look she gave me was heartbreaking. A lesser man would have fled from it.

"You turned your head when I nudged you. I swear I thought you were aware of what I was doing!" I explained in a soft but firm voice. But I was in the wrong. I had to make amends. "I am sorry, Love."

She reached up and kissed my lips, softly. I didn't try to go further because of her mood, but I was still excited sexually. When she had resisted me, it had brought out the urge to take her by force. I could easily have raped her if I hadn't been able to control myself. She touched my cheek with her palm, and that enough was to calm me. I leaned into her hand, grasped it with my own, and kissed it.

"This isn't like you, Lover," I told her. "You don't usually sleep this late in the afternoon. Were you unable to sleep this morning?"

She thought back for a few seconds. "No, I went to sleep pretty fast, considering…"

Yes, considering. She had been upset and crying when we had gone to sleep. The dawn had forced me into my slumber while my Bonded cried over something I had done to her. "We should talk about that," I said firmly.

Tears formed in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. Not again! "It hurts, Eric!" she sobbed, reaching for the box of tissues on her nightstand to try to control her crying. She blew her nose and waved her hand around for a few seconds, unsure of where to dispose of the tissue. There was a wastebasket next to the big dresser. I took the tissue from her and threw it into the wastebasket, where of course it landed perfectly.

"Two points," she said with a small laugh. I looked at her blankly, having no idea what she meant. She stared at me like I was clueless, which I was, and then said, "Um, never mind," chuckling. I wasn't happy to have missed the joke, but at least she had smiled.

She rolled onto her back but then came back up on her side, grabbing on to me like I was the last lifeboat leaving the Titanic. Her tears resumed. "I don't understand this!" she cried. "Why are you deliberately hurting me? Why won't you tell me what you're punishing me for? It hurts so much!" She buried her head in my chest and sobbed her heart out.

I held her close until she quieted somewhat. "I told you; I am not punishing you!" I said it a little tersely; I was tired of being asked why I was punishing her. "Well, perhaps I am, a little bit, but not for the most part." Her look told me she expected an explanation. "I needed a way to show you that your body belongs to me, most particularly that part. No other man will ever touch you there. That means something to me!" My voice was more emotional than I wanted it to be but it got her attention. She started caressing my chest, and it felt good. I closed my eyes for a few seconds, then opened them and smiled at her. "Yesterday you asked me why I was getting up your ass about that man. It gave me an idea. You are not ready for me to take you there yet," I cupped her ass cheek for emphasis, "but I could get up your ass, with the plug, while simultaneously demonstrating my ownership. I didn't realize that it would hurt you so much."

She looked away from me, and when she looked back her eyes were angry. "How would you know how much it hurts?" she demanded. "Have you ever had anybody stick something up your ass whether you wanted them to or not, and then leave it there no matter how much you asked them to remove it?"

I debated with myself for a few seconds before answering. "Yes," I said quietly. It was a very old memory, and one I preferred to keep buried.

She was extremely surprised to hear that. "You did? Really?"

Her curiosity was peaked but I gave her a very sharp look that said in no uncertain terms that I did not want to talk about it. She got the message and lowered her eyes. We were both silent for several minutes. I was trying to force the unwanted images of my past from my head before I became angry at Dina for bringing them out. Her question had sent them to flood my head. But I finally regained my composure. "I do not plan to leave it in you all night. Come, let's remove it."

I felt her mood spike through the bond, although I still wouldn't say she was in a "good" mood. I took her into the washroom and made her spread her legs as she leaned over the counter top. I grabbed a towel and held it against her ass as I slowly began to pull it out. It was in there pretty tightly but I had lubed it well. It didn't take much effort to slide it out, even with the tight grip her outer muscles had on the thin part before the handle. After I pulled it out I put it in the sink for cleaning and wiped her off in case there was discharge. Some of the lube spilled out as liquid but not much. She felt like she had to "go" and so I let her sit while I pulled out some special sanitizing soap from one of the lower cabinets and proceeded to wash the plug. After I washed it I slathered it with hand-sanitizer and left it in the sink. I'd wash it again later. I never took chances with toys, especially toys that were used anally.

Dina was embarrassed again, and I turned around to watch her struggling, her face very red. Little "air" sounds could be heard down below. "Nothing is coming out!" She complained, more tears in her eyes. Gods, would the tears never end tonight?

"That's probably because nothing is ready to come out yet," I said matter-of-factly. "I am no expert on the human body, but you were cleaned out last night and only ate a little while later. I expect you will have to wait another day, or at least a few hours."

"The feeling is going away now," she conceded, then yawned.

"Dina, why are you yawning? You slept all day?"

She thought for a moment and then sat up straight. "What day is this?" she asked me.

"The 14th; why?" I was curious.

She counted on her hand. "I think I'm going to get my period any day now."

"Your what?"

"You know, Eric! When I bleed!" she was embarrassed again and looked down.

My fangs clicked into place and I grinned. "Is that right? This is good news!"

"God, no wonder I've been crying and sleeping all day!"

She was going to bleed for me soon. My mouth watered at the thought. The last time I had fed from a woman during her bleeding was back in the 1960s during the summer of love. Women were so free with their bodies at that time! I had feasted on their monthly flow, especially during the Woodstock festival. I could smell them, and half the time they were high on LSD or Quaaludes, or both. LSD was an interesting experience. It did not affect me as it affected humans, for the most part. It made colors brighter, the world clearer, and added what I could only describe as a pleasant "buzz." It was easy to use my glamour to get what I wanted, but many times I didn't have to because they thought my fangs were a hallucination from the LSD or just a dental implant to differ myself from society and its constraints.

It was a good memory. And my Dina would give me the same treat again, minus the LSD of course. I wouldn't have her taking drugs like that. But I was, to say the very least, excited!

"Oh, can you please not be so happy?" She grunted and moved to stand and wash her hands and face. Her cheeks were still puffy and red from crying.

"Why? This will be a great experience. And one we can have monthly." I didn't understand her irritation.

"Eric, it's not comfortable….it's…I don't want to get blood everywhere. So I do have to be mindful. It also wipes me out sometimes, like today. Not to mention the bloating, cravings, and emotional ups and downs." She stopped her tirade to breathe and dry her hands. "And I know you are happy to have me as a meal, but I'm not exactly thrilled with that either."

I stopped for a moment. I was aware, vaguely, that women weren't always happy when they bled. Unless they were scared about breeding when they weren't ready or didn't like the father of their potential progeny. Dina didn't have these worries with me. But I didn't ever stop to think about the things she mentioned. Her body must have been exhausted for her to sleep the way she did today. I could definitely see these 'emotional ups and downs' she was referring to. I didn't like them at all. Something told me she wouldn't appreciate me voicing this agreement however. I suppose one of the happiest times for me wasn't going to be the same experience for her. I'd have to show her the positives.

"I see. I understand not all women enjoy their bleeding. But you might come to like this time. I will pamper you. You won't have to lift a finger. We will enjoy our time feeding and bonding together. I promise." I pulled her into my arms and tracked her feelings through the bond. She was unhappy and still depleted of energy. I assumed with the blood loss I should try and feed her more.

"I hope so. Not that I have a choice in this or where you eat from…"

"You are too grumpy. Let's feed you and we can talk."

We walked with my arm around her shoulders. I decided to give her some room. My demands were grueling, but I was anxious to get her out of this house and do it a way where I was assured we could be safe. I had to ensure she was submissive to me in front of others. My Bonded still had a mouth that moved before her common sense could stop it. I got her settled on the couch with her blanket. She laid down and I hoped she wouldn't fall back asleep. I could tell she was still upset about last night, but our activities might brighten her mood.

Tonight I would let her call home. I knew her family meant the world to her. I disliked not being her only. I also knew it would be hard when she went on to outlive them all.

I'd concocted a great story for her. She was going to be my assistant. I, of course, had her sign a confidentiality agreement. She dropped out of school due to the demands of her new job. I gave her a pre-work vacation for her troubles. She would be traveling me and working odd hours so it would be best if she took online classes. As her employer, I wanted her to finish school and add skills to my business. I would be covering her tuition. Later, we could tell them we developed an affection for one another and became lovers. It was simple and believable.

I looked around the kitchen and found a little less than two pounds of something she called 'sloppy joes' in a bowl. It didn't look very appetizing, but I put some on a plate and warmed it. I then put it on one of her hamburger buns. I made her buy the expensive ones. She admitted they tasted better. I grabbed one of her fizzy cans of "pop" for her to drink and added ice to a glass for her. I took the plate, covered, to the living room and set it down in front of her along with everything else on a tray. She thanked me and I saw she had found a Law and Order: SVU marathon. Satisfied that she was content, I went back to the kitchen and started cutting her up some cucumbers and tomatoes to have on the side.

We'd call her family after she ate. I was only going to give her somewhere between 30 and 45 minutes. I didn't need this turning into a long thing nor it being a bigger distraction from her training than was necessary.

I returned to the living room and was pleased to see that she hadn't opened the dish that contained her sloppy joe. She was aware that I might want to feed them to her myself and for that reason she had waited. I smiled and sat down next to her, setting the cucumber and tomato plate down. I took the lid off the top of the dish. "Thank you for waiting for me," I said. I had cut the sloppy joe in half for her, and I picked it up. Some of the filling fell right back onto the plate. Dina giggled lightly, covering her mouth with her hand. She knew of my aversion to anything messy. "Now I see why you call them 'sloppy joes,'" I said, wrinkling my nose and setting the thing back down. "I think I will let you eat that yourself, but I will still feed you the tomatoes and cucumbers afterward."

She picked up the same sandwich half as I had and scooped up the stray bit of filling with her fingers, putting them into her mouth and licking them with delight. "Mmmm, I am so hungry!" she stated, obviously enjoying her food a great deal. I had to smile at this sudden return of her good humor. I had heard about mood swings in women who were having their monthly cycle. I guessed my Dina was one of those affected. I would have to do what I could to keep her happy while I enjoyed this time. I would not be denied! I WAS going to have my treat, and I didn't want to have to tie her down to get it. Although that could be fun…

"Eric?" she suddenly piped up. I raised my eyebrows in acknowledgement. She looked at my shyly. I knew that look. My Bonded wanted something. "Can I have some of that banana cream pie too?" She smiled sweetly at me and I couldn't resist her. I actually wanted her to gain a few pounds so I was glad to oblige. Humans often lost weight when they first became involved with vampires. I guessed being around creatures who didn't eat decreased their appetites or perhaps without the social interaction of eating with another they ate less. I wasn't entirely sure, but knew that weight loss was typical. I was going to be a step ahead and keep her plump for the rest of her human life. The pie was frozen, so I put it in our microwave on the defrost setting. It had that new inverter technology that didn't melt everything you put in it, so the pie came out just a bit cool to the touch.

She finished her sandwich and waited for me. I noticed she'd had to use all of the five napkins I'd provided for her. Sloppy Joes. Not too appetizing and very messy as far as I was concerned. I knew she wasn't happy being fed but I insisted. It was part of her training to make it normal for her to look to me for everything. I picked up the plate and fork. "Keep your hands down and don't try to help me," I said very seriously. "Sit on your hands if you have to." She nodded at me, her face expressionless. I knew this was hard for her. The first bite I handed over, up came her hands. "Dina!" I growled in warning. "Don't make me get out those handcuffs you 'love' so much!"

"Sorry Eric, it's just a habit."

"Then take my advice and sit on your hands!" I said sternly. She did, and about the third bite she started giggling.

"I feel silly!" she giggled.

She was actually very cute and I laughed with her, and by the time she'd snorted out two bites of her food I grabbed her and pulled her into my lap. "I'll make you laugh!" I started tickling her in the ticklish spots I'd forced her to admit to me she had. "Do you yield?" I asked her.

"No!" she shrieked, trying to block me with her hands, but I was much faster. I doubled the speed of my hands, no longer playing fair, and I got my fangs involved, nipping and biting at her everywhere.

"Yield!" I demanded.

"No! Not fair Eric!" she kept laughing.

Finally I pinned her down on the couch with my fangs at her throat. "Yield to me!" I growled softly, the mood suddenly changing. I grabbed her hands and held them above her head with one of mine while I touched her between her legs with the other, spreading her lower lips and dipping my fingers inside, looking for moisture. There was plenty. I moved my hand to myself and guided my cock home, sliding in smoothly in one long stroke.

She gasped as she felt the sensations; the first stroke never failed to get her attention – I knew she was very sensitive. "I never said I yielded," she breathed at me, her eyes wide and her voice full of sex.

"You didn't have to, Lover. Your body did." I lowered my head and kissed her softly as I began to move, my strokes strong and powerful. I wanted to bring us both to climax together quickly. "Do not cum until I give you permission," I ordered softly.

"What? You can't do that to me!" she protested.

"Yes, I can and I am. Listen to my voice. Concentrate on my voice Lover!" I kissed her, over and over and over while I felt the bond between us. I knew when she was coming close. My Dina was so sensual and responsive. She needed no other touch but my cock inside of her. "Not yet, Lover!" I crooned to her, feeling my own release rapidly approaching.

"Eric!" she exclaimed urgently, her eyes telling me what she didn't say.

"Not yet!" I told her. "Not yet!" I quickened my pace and just as I was about to explode, "Cum for me now, Lover! Do it now!" Then I bit her neck just as I exploded, releasing my seed inside of her. I only took her blood for a few seconds, then quickly healed the wound.

"Eric! Oh god! Eric!" she cried out, her voice full of her excitement. I felt her walls convulse around me and kept moving until we were both too sensitive to go any further. We were both panting as our bodies quieted.

"Oh God. You ruined my dinner!" She pretended to scowl at me.

"It was worth it. I know you agree – I can feel it." I smiled at her with my fangs out. She stuck her tongue out at me. Quicker than she could put it back, I had it between my teeth where I bit just hard enough for a little discomfort. Before she could protest, I sucked it into my mouth and kissed her deeply. Then I bit her tongue with my fang to draw a little bit of her blood into me. It made our exchange mutual even though it was such a tiny amount. I healed her with my own blood and drew back. She continued to lick her lips until she had swallowed every bit of our blood.

"Mmmm, Eric, is there something wrong with me that I love when you do that?" she smiled her special smile for me.

"Yes, you are sick, demented, twisted, marred, ruined, and perfect," I told her, surprising my own self that I would say such a thing. She blushed, smiled, and lowered her eyes, making me grow thick and hard inside her again. But we had to call her family soon, so there wasn't time for another round.

I pulled away, sat up and sat sideways on the couch. Then I pulled her onto my lap and pulled her legs around my waist, impaling her with my hardness. I slowly let go of her, and she had no choice but to lean back on the couch resting on her hands. She gave me a dirty look followed by another smile. My Bonded had a sense of humor!

"Not fair, Eric!" She accused me.

"I know that. Now you are mine, Lover! I can do anything I want!" I proceeded to lean forward and bite both of her nipples, taking a little more of her blood each time. She held her breath. I knew this hurt her a little bit, but the way the smell of her arousal deepened and she flooded me with her moisture inside, it also turned her on. I didn't heal my bites. I liked my fang marks in all of her secret places. "Where were we?" I pretended to wonder. "Oh yes, you were mocking my ability to feed you. For that, I shall do it slowly while you can't use your hands." I fed the cucumbers and tomatoes to her slowly, but she started to feel fatigue on her arms and hands. I took pity on her and put my arm around her back to support her. "Hold on to me!" I ordered, wrapping her arms around my torso. Then I fed her the banana cream pie, partially with a fork and partially with my fingers. I made her lick and clean them thoroughly afterward. I told her what we would say to her family as I fed her. She seemed displeased with the lack of honesty. I tried to explain why we were doing this, but I felt guilt and sadness in our bond. I assured her one day we'd keep fewer secrets from them. When she was all finished eating, full, and content, I reclined on the arm of the couch. I pulled her with me so that I was still inside her and she lay on my chest. This was a very comfortable position for us; she put her head down on my shoulder and closed her eyes.

"I'm so tired!" she whispered. I would call Ludwig about this. I did not like her energy to be depleted this way. There must be something we could do to counteract it and make her feel better. I let her sleep for an hour, but then I gently shook her awake.

"Dina, Lover, it is time to call your family. Wake up!" She grumbled a little but managed to raise her head.

"Do I have to move? I'm so comfortable!" she said.

"Do you want to talk to your aunt and uncle with my dick inside of you?" I asked, suppressing a laugh. That got her moving. As she sat up, so did I, and I lifted her away from me.

"Um, Eric? Can I have something to wear?" she requested.

"Why?" I didn't understand.

She blushed and looked down. I enjoyed when she acted so submissive. It made me want to give her the world! "I feel, I dunno, self-conscious, sitting here naked with you and lying to them about where I am." She didn't look up at me and I could feel her uncertainty through our bond.

"Dina, we aren't lying. It's more like acting. They will know soon enough that we are together." I was a bit irritated that she continued to complain that we were lying to her family. She was preparing for her life with me, but we weren't going to tell them the more personal aspects of our relationship just yet. I kissed her forehead. "Give me a minute."

I went into the bedroom closet and slipped on a pair of pajama bottoms that I had bought for just such times, when my Dina might be uncomfortable with our nudity for some reason or other. I brought out the same cotton nightgown and panties that I'd given her to wear after her punishment. I'd sent it out with my laundry. I hoped it didn't remind her of that. I was trying to cater to her comfort. I also brought something else out – a few coils of bright blue silk rope. After the phone call we were going to spend the rest of the night relaxing and watching movies, and I was going to practice my rope skills on my favorite model. She didn't know that yet, and I hid the rope from her view.

She looked like she was going to cry when I handed her the clothing. She threw her arms around me and squeezed me tightly. "I love you Eric! Thank you!" she said softly against my skin. She kissed my chest a few times and then looked up at me.

I bent down to kiss her gently but thoroughly. "I hope this makes you feel better," I said with a smile. She didn't know what was behind my smile. 'You won't be wearing it for long,' I thought, just barely keeping my fangs in check.

Once she was dressed I threw her over my shoulder playfully, and she had fun smacking my ass all the way out into the living room. When we got there I didn't let go of her. While she shrieked at me, I put her over my knee and returned the favor. I didn't spank her hard and I didn't pull down her panties. We were only playing. I didn't want her to interpret it as punishment. I opened my computer and brought up the contact list I'd made of everybody she knew, and a few she didn't know I knew about. "Who are we calling?" I had my cell phone ready to dial.

Dina POV

I looked at the number as the phone was pushed into my hand. He had dialed my aunt who always sent me boxes. I smiled. I hoped he did it because he knew that no matter how far away she was, she kept the most contact. I hit the green button and listened to the number dial in my ear. She hesitantly grabbed on the fifth ring. My stomach was filled with butterflies.

"Hello?" She said in voice that told me she was curious and nervous about who was calling.

"Auntie, it's me – Dina."

"Oh!...Well there you are! Where've you been?" She practically yelled in my ear. "Wait a minute." I heard her move the phone away "Honey, Dines is calling….yea, I'll ask her. Wait-a-minute." I listened to her tell my uncle I was on the phone. I wonder if Eric noticed how she said all her words together, without pauses. Eric looked at me and mouthed 'Dines". I waved him off. I kinda wanted him to leave the room so I could have privacy, but another part of me wanted him here to help me as I 'told our story.'"

"So what have you been doing?" I heard both curiosity and irritation in her voice. I hadn't called in a while.

"I got a new job and took a vacation. I'm…I'm still settling in. it's a good job. I'm happy." I tried to sound natural.

"I heard. Not from you, but I heard." And the guilt begins. "What about school and your…psychology degree?"

"I'm going back to school – a different, online school – once I get everything in order. I'm, well, working for a vampire. So it's half day and night hours. I also might need to travel. I still am majoring in psychology and will finish my degree. I'm just getting it paid for through work."

"They are going to pay for all of it? What's in it for them?" She was skeptical.

"It's part of my contract. I am taking a lot away from my personal life so it balances. Eric – my boss – is very much into education. He supports me getting my education while working."

"You call your boss 'Eric'?" she asked in disbelief. I gave a fake laugh. Oh god. Eric grasped my knee and gave me a reassuring squeeze.

"I knew him before this job. On a first name basis. I'm sure I'll say 'Mr. Northman' in public and business meetings." Actually I was going to say 'Master.' My family was going to flip when they knew we were dating. God forbid anyone knew we were in this type of relationship.

"OK. Do you like him? Do you trust this…is this going to be a safe job?"

"Yes. I'm going to like this and it's a good job. Don't worry!" Eric reached for his cell phone and tilted it away from my ear to check the time. "Okay, I have to shower and get my stuff together for tomorrow. Can we talk later?"

"Yes, go do your stuff…call me soon."

"I will. Love you!"

"Love you! Talk-at-you-later."

"Bye." We hung up and I fell against the couch. Oh this sucked! I hated the lying! Hated doing things that would upset my family. I was so embarrassed. What if they knew what Eric and I did? I'd never live it down.

I looked at Eric and he could tell something was wrong. I thought I was probably being over-dramatic because of PMS. I started to cry. He immediately gathered me in his arms. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked kindly, wiping away my tears with his thumbs and then licking them away, like he always did. I smiled at that. It was so endearing!

"I don't know Eric!" I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I'm happy. With you. I know it doesn't look like it right now." I touched his face and looked into his eyes, giving him a kiss on his chin, as high up as I could reach. I stuck my head into the hollow between his chin and chest, my favorite place to rest. "I've always been close with them. Never gone more than a week without calling. They would help pay my cell phone bill sometimes just to keep me in touch. I can hear how worried she is. Now she knows I'm working for a Vampire, she probably thinks you'll kill me." I laughed to show Eric how ridiculous I thought that idea was. I trusted him completely with my life.

Eric rocked us back and forth and kept playing with my hair. "When your training time is over, I will let you call more often," he promised. "I did not know how close with your family you were or how much it would distress you not to call them. I have been selfish keeping all your attention focused on me and us. But you know I did this for a reason, right?" He squeezed me tighter and waited; I knew he expected an answer.

"I know Eric. It's OK; it really is. I want this too! You know I'm completely dedicated to the training. I love you. It's important to you so it's important to me." I could feel through the bond how happy my words made him even though he didn't say anything.

"I cut you very short because I thought you would like to call someone else. Would you?"

I was filled with emotion when he offered that and I had to breathe deeply a few times to keep from crying again. My throat ached and my chest felt heavy. "Yes!" I gushed at him. "Yes Eric! You are so sweet! Thank you!" I squeezed him tighter around the ribs but he pulled me away to plant a very hot kiss on me. By the time we were done playing tonsil-hockey I was ready to jump him again.

"Hold that thought!" he whispered, smiling at me full of fang. I reached up and kissed him again, wrapping my tongue around both of his fangs and drawing a little blood for him. He growled. "You had better stop that if you want to keep those clothes on!" He winked and put my hand on him. He was hard as a rock and I gave him a squeeze. He growled again in warning, his eyes glowing again. He stared at me intently for a few seconds and I swore he was going to jump on me right then and there. But then he calmed down – it looked difficult for him - and picked up his cell phone. "Who are we calling next?" I felt the tension in him like a coiled spring. One more trigger would set him off, so I decided to behave and chose a number from his list on the computer.

I called one of my aunts who was still in Chicago. She answered the phone in her typical tired from work voice. I told her it was me and asked how she was. Her answers were terse as always. I rambled about my new job for a few minutes and she told me to 'watch myself'.

"You are an adult," She began and I hoped Eric would leave the room. "But you need to watch it. You know the shit you see on the news about these fangers."

Speaking of fangs, I think Eric's were about to come out. "Eric is a good man and a great boss."

"Ok…I need to get to bed. Call and tell me how it's going."

"I will." I told her I loved her. She was never one to repeat those words. I told her to tell her kids I missed them. We hung up.

I looked over at Eric. I was unsure of what to say. He beat me to the punch.

"Make your next call. One long one or two more short ones."

I nodded and glanced at the list. I dialed another aunt and uncle. This time I hoped some of my cousins would be around so I could talk to them too. It went to voice mail, but once I started talking my aunt picked up. They didn't answer numbers they didn't know very often. She was very happy to hear from me. I went through 'the story' again, answering all of her questions. She also advised me to be careful, thankfully with no slurs added in. I think the sentiment was the same though. We started to talk about the family, work, medical stuff going on with her and my uncle, and their vacation plans. I was surprised more of my distant cousins got married and had babies. I tried to think about the fact that I was older than a lot of them and… didn't have an idea when or if those things would ever happen. Eric must have sensed something was wrong because he sat closer to me. I suddenly felt very sad. I loved babies. I loved kids. And Eric would never give me one. I tried to focus on talking with my aunt and told her I was getting tired. We ended the all with some 'I Love You's and I gave the phone to Eric. I was sure I went over whatever time he had in mind. And then suddenly I felt hungry again.

"Eric?" I asked him, feeling the blush creep up my face. He tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. I had already eaten a full meal so I felt embarrassed asking. "Is it OK if I have another sloppy joe?"

He looked at me doubtfully for a minute. "Are you sure you can eat another one?" he asked skeptically.

"Yes, I am. That's another thing about when I get my… bleeding." I used this word so he wouldn't have to ask for clarification. "My appetite is bigger. I'll probably gain a few pounds."

That seemed to spur him into action. I knew he was trying to make me heavier. Maybe I should stop worrying about my weight because his opinion was the one I cared about. If he liked me fat, I'd enjoy eating enough to stay the way he liked me. "I'll be right back!" he said, and sped into the kitchen at Vampire speed. That made me laugh. Before I knew it, he was back with another plate containing two sandwiches. I didn't think I could eat that many.

"Thanks Eric!" I reached out for him when he didn't sit down next to me. He grasped my hand and kissed the palm and the wrist. I blushed and his fangs popped out. That got my juices flowing and I tried to pull him back to me for another round of "hide the salami." He resisted, though.

"I am going to go upstairs and find those DVDs we ordered. I'll bring a bunch down and we can choose what to watch."

That surprised me. Eric didn't really seem like someone who enjoyed sitting watching movies, but I hadn't been with him very long. Maybe he did that when he had time to relax. "OK honey. Bring back what you like. I liked everything you ordered." I smiled at him and he kissed my hand again. Then, in a flash, he was gone.

Eric POV with Pam

While Dina ate I ran upstairs quickly to find the box of DVDs. What I hadn't told her was that while she'd been using my phone I'd gotten a text from Pam, who wanted to come by. She hadn't given me an explanation, but I would never deny my child my attention. While in the kitchen making Dina's food I had texted her back to come over and meet me upstairs in my office. She had a key to the house. When I got upstairs, Pam hadn't arrived, so I found the box of DVDs and chose a selection: "Good Will Hunting," "A Beautiful Mind," "Practical Magic," "The Departed", "Pet Sematary," "Gremlins," "Annie," "The Sound of Music," and "The King and I," plus seasons 1 and 2 of "CSI," the original, and an "All In The Family" boxed set. I'd let her choose after she ate. Then I went to my office to wait for Pam.

I had brought in a few of Dina's boxes to sit in the corner of my office. I would probably bring them to the new house as soon as it was done. I was hoping Pam could give me a date, but apparently all my special requests were adding time to the finish date. Pam was quick to point this out with each and every request I made. I would make sure to grab the stack of DVDs before going back downstairs. I'd actually purchased a few more for her. I would enjoy getting her all the books and movies she wanted. I also hoped she would like our other home. I was putting a lot of effort into making it beautiful and accommodating to her.

It didn't take long for Pam to arrive. She entered my home with ease. She often kept a spare room in my homes and was welcome to sleep on my couch downstairs or share my bed if she so wanted. We hadn't been sexual in close to 60 years. It was also rare for Pam to cuddle. After a particularly vicious fight that involved all of the sheriffs and the Queen herself 40 or so years ago, Pam had stayed at my home for a week. We never talked about how scared she was after a young vampire we had both met – but not befriended – had lost her maker in the fray. She simply came home with me and informed me she was going to rest in my bed with me. And for seven nights we laid beside each other as though she was still a baby Vampire.

She had the courtesy to knock on my office door and I told her to enter. She came over and sat on my desk. I leaned back in my office chair.

"Pam…how is my house?"

"It's fine. If you keep adding things and ordering more furniture it will not be finished for another month or two. I suggest you finish your orders for what you want soon, so a final date for completion can be arranged."

"I know. I will discuss the plans with Dina and make sure she has everything a human can want or need." I waited. I knew mentioning Dina would draw us into the conversation we needed to have.

"Yes. How are things with your human?"

"They are well…now ask what you really want to." I cocked my eyebrow at her.

She looked like she was trying to think about what to say. She wanted to respect me as her maker, her sheriff, and someone much older than she. But she also wanted to question me and use our relationship to talk to me in a way no other could. It was a hard choice for her.

"Fine, what are you intentions for her?"

"Her name Pam. You can use her name. You've never borne her resentment before."

"I do not now either. I simply wish to know what your plans are."

I sat up and took her hand in mine. I was so used to touching my warm Dina that it almost felt alien to me. I played with her perfectly manicured nails. They seemed almost out of place on a Vampire who had killed a man this week. I remembered her hands when they were still warm as the blood that ran through them. Perhaps she was still too young to not be my only, but so many other vampires had siblings at a much younger age than she.

"Pamela, my child, you know what my plan is."

"I will not be your only child for much longer." She refused to meet my eyes. I began to tug her off my desk and pull her on to my lap. She didn't resist.

"Pam, is your need to have me all to yourself truly that strong? Do you never want a sister?"

She leaned her head on my shoulder and sighed in a very human way. "I don't know. I suppose having a sister would be nice. I do not have anything against Dina. I know you can tell me many wonderful things about her – if she gained your approval, she will have mine. But it's been you and I for so long. Forever. Since my life truly began."

"Life is about changing. It's part of survival, you know this. I'm adding to our lives. I'm making a family. It will be my two children and I until the end of time."

"Tell me the truth…is it me? Is my need to be more independent making you crave the close bond you'll have with a newborn?"

"Not at all. You are very different. Dina will never kill for me. She lacks our viciousness. But is very loyal. She also offers me her whole life. Pam, be honest, you could never be my submissive. You may have allowed me to enjoy myself during sex, but that's simply because you wanted to please me. I'm proud I created a strong vampire who longs to be by my side, but also wants to and can stand alone. Dina will never do this. She will stay always by my side."

I had thought a lot about how different, yet how similar my progeny and future progeny were. I decided not to share my analysis. I knew there would be rivalry. It might happen over my attention as a whole or over their skills. Pam had yet to show any special gifts, if she ever would. She was fast and had a strong sense of smell, even for a vampire. But she couldn't fly like I could. She never really got over that fact. I briefly wondered what would happen were I to allow them to shop together. Dina wasn't keen on using my money – now she had no choice since I didn't let her work – and Pam always wanted to use my money. Both of them loved to shop. I could imagine them bickering over Dina's refusal to use my money. Or Pam's need for designer labels clashing with Dina's bargain shopping. I wanted to chuckle at those possibilities, but then became fearful of what would happen once Pam won (and she would) and both of them began to use my money at the mall. Perhaps it was the time I open a new business. We might need more money very soon.

"When will you turn her?" Pam asked, breaking the silence.

"I don't know yet. I enjoy her as she is now. I want both of you to be ready when it happens." I answered this as best I could. Dina's age wasn't a huge issue; my blood was already slowing her aging. She was still quite young and we had years before there was fear of turning her after her prime. I knew she would react badly. She was too close to her family and friends. She had human beliefs about paradise after death – life could be a paradise if you played your cards right. I didn't look forward to the ensuing fight about her inevitable turning. I was also being very selfish. I loved having her warmth and blood every night. I liked keeping her locked up with me. Vampires never did well when they were kept inside. And as Vampires we'd both have to feed on others.

Pam could read my face easily. "What is bothering you about it?"

I laughed self deprecatingly. "Is it that obvious?" She nodded. "She will not be pleased to know my ultimate plans for her. She will fight against being turned."

Pam looked into space and gave a look of 'you-have-got-to-be-kidding-me!' "Another one?" she asked incredulously. "Where do you find them Eric?" I growled at her in warning. "Seriously! I can name 50 beautiful women right now who would be your submissive and be glad when the time came to be turned!" She shook her head and put her hand over her eyes.

"Dina is not just one of 'them' Pamela!" I said harshly. "She is not a fangbanger. She is not polluted with drugs. Her breasts are natural, unlike three-quarters of our clientele at Fangtasia!"

"Natural breasts? That large?" Pam's eyes widened and her fangs dropped. Pam was just as much of a boob connoisseur as I was. "Now I see why you want her!"

"No you do not see!" I glared at her. "There is more to her than a spectacular rack! Although it is spectacular… If you were to spend some time around her you would see that."

"I would love to spend time with her!" Pam's tongue came out to lick her fang in anticipation.

"That is not what I am talking about!" I pushed her gently off my lap and stood up, running my fingers through my scalp. "She is good, Pam. Not like us. There is a sweetness to her that has nothing to do with her blood. As I said, she will never kill for me. Do you know she objected vehemently to my killing Burnham even though she was the one he had insulted and threatened?"

"What?"

"I know, I don't understand it either. She gets under my skin, Pam. She is embedded deep within me now."

"Eric, you're in love with her, aren't you!" Pam tilted her head to the side, smiling. I didn't know if she was teasing me or if she was serious.

"Pam! You know better than that! I am a Vampire!" I denied. "I am not capable of it. Am I enthralled by her? Yes. Does she make me happy? Yes. Do I find her amazingly sexy? Yes. But love? I think not."

Pam sighed and shook her head. "Eric…"

"Do not question me on this, child! I can still turn you over my knee, or worse!" I gave her my Maker's voice. She had no choice but to submit. She bowed her head.

"Yes Master." She looked unhappy.

I softened. It wasn't Pam's fault that I was conflicted about Dina. "Would you like to come downstairs for a while, or just to say hello?"

"Yes, I would!" Any traces of the childlike Pam I'd held on my lap a few minutes ago were gone. She was back to herself.

"Come on then!" I smiled and took her hand, leading her through the barriers down into my lair.

Pam POV

I had spent time with Eric's human. He seemed to forget I was not only there when those fanatics attacked the little vampire, but was left with all the messy work Eric couldn't busy himself with. I was his lieutenant, his second – so he got to take the two buxom humans home and talk to them about the incident while I saw to the messy aftermath. It was hard to see her as brave. Eric sang her praises in private. I thought she was foolish. At the time, I wouldn't have minded if she died to save the vampire. But we were alerted before that occurred.

I guessed things worked out if he was truly happy with her. Eric was never a sad vampire or one who didn't love to be alive. But even I knew his happiness had plateaued in many ways. He lacked excitement and deep feelings. For the most part I did too, but I didn't mind living that way. Even as a human I was not an emotional creature. I always looked for pleasure and excitement, but nothing more. I was content just being a vampire. I truly was a higher life form. I had told Eric before that vampires were the single greatest species and race in existence. He said he wasn't sure. We didn't talk much about our superiority after that. I didn't want to know my Maker didn't know how great we were.

Eric came to the door and punched in his secret code. "Lover, we have company." He said loudly as we entered. Dina was sitting on the couch in some pajamas and her hands were covered in some kind of reddish sauce. In front of her held of plate of disgustingly drippy human food. I actually wondered how he could be with her if these were her feeding habits. Eric had taught me to feed when I was a newborn and stressed to me the importance of a clean bite and no blood drip from the punctures. We were civilized and clean beings.

Dina swallowed her food and stood up. She fidgeted on her feet. The smell of her food made me wonder if I was capable of vomiting. Her eyes went from me to Eric. She didn't know what to say. I imagined her manners fighting with the lack of direction Eric had given her. Eric decided to be kind and break the silence.

"Pam wanted to visit with us. Sadly, we can't offer her anything to eat, but we can offer her our company. He moved and stood beside her. He took her hand and they sat back down. I took my cue and went to sit with them. I caught the two sharing a look and then she spoke.

"It's good to see you again, Pam. How have you been?"

"Fine…I have been working hard at the bar and on the house Eric is remodeling." I replied, wondering how Eric put up with all these manners. I was so glad to be freed from a life that demanded them. Although, I still had a Maker who was my Sheriff and a monarchy over my head that I was forced to be polite to.

"Thank you for that. I know Eric wants to go there and I'm excited myself." She said, sweetly. She was not relaxed around me as she normally was – or tried to be. I guessed I'd joked about eating her one too many times. I looked at Eric. He didn't seem very pleased she was thanking me for following his orders. It finally clicked in my head in that second, she was trying to impress me. A part of me resented her, but the fact that she knew I might be angry at her attentions from my Maker calmed my animosity toward her.

One of the things Eric had taught me in this long existence we'd had together was to try to make the best of a situation so that we could come out on top. We had done that many times together. Now it was my turn, I surmised, to make the best of this situation that he was about to foist on me. Perhaps I would be more tolerant of her when she rose to Vampire like us. But I barely tolerated humans on many levels, and generally only when I was fucking or feeding from them. I wouldn't mind fucking this one but so far Eric had been greedy.

Maybe that was what was wrong with me. I wanted a piece of her too. If she was so sweet and submissive as he said, why couldn't I tie her down and sit on her face? The thought very nearly made my fangs descend and I only barely controlled it. Eric somehow knew exactly what I was thinking because he glared at me in warning and drew her closer to him. Whether it was protectively or possessively, it pissed me off either way. I smiled, trying not to look like a cat staring at a mouse.

"What are you eating, Dina?" I tried to show interest.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry Pam!" she blushed and jumped to her feet. Her blushes were very becoming. I'd like to see how far they went past the neckline of that camisole though. "Eric is very tolerant but it must really smell bad to you!" She grabbed her plate and dashed out of the room with it before even Eric could grab her. But he wasn't about to let her get away with that. He barely gave me a look of acknowledgment before he took off after her at Vamp speed. This might be good! Was I going to get to watch him discipline her?

"Dina!" I heard him say sharply only a second later. She gave a little shriek just as the garbage disposer was engaged. He must have frightened her. He lowered his voice but I didn't know why he bothered. I could hear everything. Maybe it was to give her the sense of privacy.

"This is unnecessary. You are in your own home and perfectly within your right to finish your meal! Pam does not mind!" Did he want to make a bet?

"Eric, did you see her face?" the girl whispered furiously at him. "You invited her down here and the place smells like something you yourself can barely tolerate!" I heard her spraying something and a clean smell came drifting through the room. Much better. Then water was turned on and quickly turned off.

"She is my child! She will tolerate it!" Thanks for your consideration Eric.

"NO Eric!" she told him firmly and tension filled the entire house. He did not like being told 'no,' and even I rarely got away with it. She hurried on before he did do something to her. "She is our guest. It's bad enough we don't even have Tru Blood to offer her! She deserves my respect and I'm going to give it to her!"

I heard Eric sigh.

Was I witnessing a first? Had she shut him down?

"Fine, Dina, go ahead and wash your hands but don't you dare run in and brush your teeth! I know what you would try to do for me and I tell you it is not necessary."

Well, he had to come up with something. My shoulders began to shake with silent laughter. Maybe I was going to like her being with Eric after all.

They came back out and I composed myself, but Eric knew. He glared at me again. They sat back on the couch and Dina smiled kindly at me. She was trying to be a good hostess! To me! I wish I could eat that popcorn stuff humans raved about when they saw new films. This was quite a show.

"So…the house is going well? I haven't seen it yet." She began to make conversation.

"It is." I nodded. "But of course, with all the last minute changes it's taking a long time to complete." I said with a little annoyance pointed at my esteemed Maker.

"Oh, I'm sorry about that. I know Eric likes things to be perfect. I really appreciate you working on this for us and taking care of the bar. I feel so bad, none of this was planned and it's all falling on you. I wonder if I can help-"

She was cut off by an angry Eric.

"Enough. You will not apologize for her working on tasks I assigned to her. I have not overloaded her with work, nor will you help with what she is perfectly capable of doing on her own. Your job isn't to run my bar, my other businesses, or oversee the remodeling of our home. And Pamela, do not think that I am pleased with your tone or the fact that you are making her feel bad for you."

Both of us stared at him. I think we shared a nervousness over whether or not he would punish us. He glared back at us, daring us to question him. Finally, the little human spoke.

"Fine, then perhaps we could discuss these changes and figure them all out. That way the project will be outlined and not changed over and over again." She said this diplomatically, but her smile was just a little too clenched. I was truly enjoying this.

"Yes, that sounds fabulous. Eric? You said you wanted to discuss the house anyway." I smiled sweetly at him.

"You both are very close to some serious trouble. But since you are working on our home and Dina hasn't heard anything yet, what would you like to discuss?"

I was suddenly put on the spot, the little human looking at me expectantly and Eric giving me a look that said I'd better talk. I directed my words to her, not completely able to ignore my maker fuming in the background. "You'll love the fact that Eric has gone to great expense to get marble veined in purple for the master bath. He says it's a favorite of yours. We've also ordered the fixtures and countertops in purple to match." In all of the houses Eric had constructed for himself, he had never brought purple in. His tastes ran toward bright colors and most rooms had some crimson, scarlet, burgundy, or lovely shade called lust. He enjoyed greens and blues. He once had a passionate jade phase that I tried not to think about. He was never one for purple though. I think it was too far from red and not close enough to blue for him. I also noticed less red in his décor planning and assumed it might also be because Dina wasn't a fan. I was surprised to see how much he cared for her preferences.

"That sounds amazing!" she said sincerely, taking Eric's hand and kissing it, giving him a bright smile. He tried to keep frowning but seemed unable to maintain a steely façade in the face of her cheerful enthusiasm. "Thank you Eric!" she gushed at him.

Normally such a sight would make me want to puke, but somehow I found this more than disgusting or amusing. In that one glance between them, I saw exactly how affected he was by her. She melted him. He turned soft and tolerant eyes on her and said, "You've only told me the story about the purple bathroom a thousand times." She blushed and I guessed I wasn't going to get to hear about it.

I'd done things designed to turn Sookie away from Eric when he'd been pursuing her, like the time he'd been fucking a dancer named Yvetta with her wrists chained to the walls on either side of her in Fangtasia's basement when I sent her down to see him. I knew I'd never be able to bring myself to try to sabotage this. I'd been glad to see the ass end of Sookie but this – this was different.

"The house has a huge kitchen with plenty of room for human food storage and the appliances are all professional grade. Do you like to cook?" I had never asked anyone that question in my entire existence! What the hell was wrong with me?

"I do all right," she blushed. "But now there's only me to cook for. What will I do with professional appliances and storage space?" she seemed bewildered but happy.

"You are going to use it!" Eric chimed in. "Your diet will no longer consist of convenience and what you call 'junk food!' I have spoken to Leila at length. She will show you how to purchase in bulk and cook ahead of time so when you want to…" you could tell the next words were foreign to Eric, "…just throw something at the microwave, you can. Then the rest of your time can be used for more important pursuits, like catering to me."

As soon as he said it, I also knew his mistake, and the girl and I both burst into laughter.

"What is funny?" Eric demanded, his face becoming a stone mask again.

She must have thought he would punish us if she didn't tell him. "Honey, you don't throw food at the microwave. You throw food in the microwave." She looked up at him sincerely as if sorry for laughing at him and she did it again.

He melted. He even smiled! Or smirked anyway. "I guess that is funny, isn't it?" He actually shrugged his shoulders at her!

I had to say it. "Who are you and what have you done with Eric Northman?"

Dina thought that was hilarious and busted a gut laughing. Before we knew it, all of us were laughing. Then I started to tell her about the amount of closet space allotted for her in the new house and asked her what designers were her favorites.

"That is my cue to go and… do something manly!" Eric announced. He apparently thought he no longer had to make sure I wouldn't eat his little morsel for dessert. He got up and left the lair. I heard him go into his office upstairs, where no doubt he'd turn the security cameras on us. That was fine.

"Well….I tend to like style and color over brands. I tend to go for what looks good and what's on sale…I'm friends with the clearance rack." She tried to explain.

I suddenly felt ill. Now I could respect style over names. Even off brands got it right sometimes. I preferred to find a stylish brand and be fairly loyal to it. I also understood the value of a renowned name. I had no problem with the logic of 'look' over 'label' some women had. But this one worried about sales and visited the clearance rack regularly? A part of me had worried that she wanted Eric's money; most did. There was little indication thus far and Eric rarely got attached to those who wanted his credit card more than the other things he offered – probably why he never formally took a human as his own and never kept a meal for longer than a few months.

"You do have more access to a rather large credit card and banking account now." I said evenly.

"Oh, that's fine. I have clothes. Eric seems insistent on buying more, but I'm good."

"You are his human. He must provide for you. The way you look around other Vampires will affect their respect for him. Some Vampires are rather ostentatious and prefer those around them to dress formally much of the time." I explained, wondering how ignorant she was of our ways.

"Yea," She sighed. "We'll argue about that. And then Eric will win." She sounded so defeated. What woman fought Eric over him buying her things? I never understood how my maker both found and enjoyed these odd women.

"That he will! So money aside, what designers do you like? Do any brands stand out with you? I know you look at style more than name."

"I really don't know Pam. Can you tell me your favorites?" she asked, seeming genuinely interested.

"I can do better than that. I can show you!" I told her. I'd just gotten brand new issues of Vogue and a few of the other fashion magazines I liked, and they were in my car. "I will be right back." I got up and headed up the stairs.

Not surprisingly, Eric was there to meet me at the door to the garage. He pulled me into a hug. "Thank you Pamela," he said sincerely. I hugged him back for a long minute, realizing how much I really did miss close contact with him. Finally, before I got emotional, I had to pull away.

"She isn't so bad once you get the food off of her hands," I told him. We stared at each other for a few minutes until it got embarrassing. Then I kissed his cheek and went out to my car. "I'm about to corrupt her forever you know!" He swatted me on the ass as I went back by.

I took the magazines back downstairs, where I thought she had actually gone to brush her teeth. She smelled like mint. Truth be told, I was flattered that she actually felt that I deserved respect and kindness. Eric took me for granted all the time. He rewarded me with whatever money could buy, but sometimes I did long for a little bit of courtesy.

We sat and thumbed through every magazine I had. I found that her taste was a little on the trendy side, but she was only a little over twenty human years old. That was to be expected. We did find a lot of things in common that we liked, and a new friendship began between us. I was surprised that something else also grew. It would infuriate Eric. But we began to subtly flirt with each other as well, and the attraction was mutual.

I felt Eric calling to me through our bond. I told Dina I had to be going and watched her fumble as she tried to decide how best to say goodbye to me. She actually rose to walk me to the door. This was truly a first for me, not only was I treated like a welcomed guest, but a guest in my own maker's home. I took some pity on her – alright, I actually felt the urge – and hugged her goodbye. I walked upstairs and slowed my pace halfway. I wondered how my maker would react as I came before him with his human's scent all over me.

Eric looked very relaxed in his swivel chair. I hesitated before closing the door behind me.

"I hope Dina finishes her food. I'm not pleased she was so uncomfortable eating with you here."

"I said nothing to make her want to put that….stuff away." I said honestly. I was a little worried he would punish me regardless. There was no guile between the two of us.

"You know you didn't have to say anything. This worries me. I won't have her risk her health every time I invite you to spend time with us. You know how important it is for you to spend time with her before she is with us for eternity."

I knew then I wouldn't be punished. But understood Eric's words. He wanted to give me the opportunity to become comfortable with his choice to turn her. I couldn't sway him, but he would give me time to adjust before I had a little sister he would be responsible for, just as he was responsible for me. I had to deal with her humanity. A part of me feared Eric would find ways to keep us separate, which meant I would be separate from him as well since her place was at his side. I also knew if I fought with my future sister too much I would leave in a huff and it would be hard for me to come back. My maker had turned a child with his pride and stubbornness.

"I will try to tolerate her eating habits more in the future. We got along quite well apart from the mess she was ingesting."

"Yes…quite well. Tell me Pam, what do you think about her? She was clothed when you came over. Did she tell you about her typical clothing?" He asked, his face clear of all emotion.

"Eric….She is yours. I would never touch or feed without your permission." I tried to not be afraid. Eric wouldn't punish me unless I truly misbehaved. Our flirting was very tame and innocent.

"Good. Only with my permission." He said calmly.

I instantly relaxed - he wasn't mad at all! Actually, he was suggesting one day his permission might be given. My mind began to wander with the possibilities. Before I could begin to lick my fangs and imagine rolling her breasts with my palms before I took a taste of her…

"Pam, she's going to be your sister. Do you really think I would be angry about sisterly love?"

I laughed. "You are possessive." I said sincerely. Eric rose and walked to me.

"The only vampire a vampire can trust is the vampire he made. I trust you. I am not removing you from any parts of my life. I have already told you this and I hope you believe me.

"You've never lied to me, Eric. Of course I believe you!" I thought about something that had been bothering me for a time and decided now was the time to bring it up. "I know it's been a long time since we were bedmates, but now that you have a regular one I find that I…" Was I really going to reveal this weakness? Eric was the only one I trusted with my vulnerability. "…miss you. Miss us."

He gave me the typical smirk but didn't mock with his eyes. "Are you jealous, Pamela?" He was trying to make light of it but I could tell he was taking me seriously.

"I don't think jealousy is the right word," I told him. Sookie had a stupid saying about being in for a pound. I was about to be. "It goes back to the security I felt when we spent every moment together, both waking and sleeping. You were mine, as much as I was yours, for that time." His eyes were clear, open. He nodded, remembering, but reserving comment.

"The safety of that feeling has stayed with me all these years, until you took another to your side with the intent of a permanent blood bond. You didn't bond with me that way. You'll be more hers than you ever were mine. And I don't…" my voice hitched with a sudden sob that I hadn't felt coming. I felt my cheeks wet and saw blood on my fingers when I touched them. I could not cry in front of my maker! He would think me weak. "Forgive me Eric! I have to go!" I started to back away but he wouldn't let me go. He caught me in his arms and held me tight. Instead of fighting against him I clutched him and trembled.

"Sssshhhh, child!" he whispered to me, going on in the words of his old tongue that he had taught me. "My daughter. My warrior. Until the end of time." He hadn't said that to me in over sixty years.

I repeated back my answering words in the same tongue. "My father. My protector. Until the end of time." Of course, 'father' and 'daughter' were very loose terms between Vampires; almost all makers and their progeny were lovers for at least a few years after the turning.

"My bed has always been open to you, Pam, for whatever purpose you desired," he assured me, holding my head between his hands and wiping away the blood from my face. I took one of his hands in both of mine.

"Your hands used to represent so much to me," I told him. "You loved me with them, you fought with them as you trained me, you hurt me with them as you punished me."

"And now?" He tilted his head to the side.

"Now they do the same for another. Will you teach her to fight at all?" I was coming back to myself little by little.

"Yes, but only because I must. I will not have her defenseless in my absence. I will have a sword made for her, as I did you, but I will not ask her to wield it." Still holding hands, we sat in the two chairs in front of his desk. He changed the subject. "I am glad there is attraction between you. It will make her more accepting of you when you do wish to share our bed. And make no mistake, she WILL accept you." He looked at me with determination. "She does not fear to sleep in my arms, and I do not want her to fear to sleep in yours either. While she is human, I will charge you with her protection if I must leave for any length of time. The two of you are my family and I will not lose either."

I nodded, accepting his words but wondering how he would bring them about. His little human might be as possessive as he was for all I knew. "Do you have a plan for that?" I allowed myself a small smile but didn't want him to think I was mocking him in any way.

"She is already open to the idea of others sharing my bed, although she is not happy about it."

"What do you mean?"

"When we formed our… arrangement, at first I had no plan to change my lifestyle. I told her I would continue to take fangbangers at my will. She believes that I still do."

"You do not?" I was surprised to hear this, but then thought about it and realized I hadn't seen him with anybody at all since she had come into his life.

"No, and I will not have sex with trash any more. I will take their blood if necessary, but only if she cannot provide for me." His voice and posture said he was adamant about this.

"Where do I come in?"

"You know that I observed the two of you together," he stated. I nodded. "I saw the budding attraction between you. She has had female lovers in the past."

"Really?" My eyebrows shot up in a good imitation of his own. My fangs descended involuntarily and I hurried to cover them with my hand. Eric chuckled. I smiled sheepishly.

"It is fine Pam! I trust that you will not touch or taste without my permission as we discussed. I will introduce this idea to her. The three of us do not have to be sexual to share a bed, but how much more fun if we are? He waggled his eyebrows as his own fangs came down. We laughed together for a few minutes and then became silent, looking into each other's eyes. "I believe we understand each other now?" he asked.

"We do, Eric. Thank you." We both stood up together and embraced tightly. He kissed my forehead the way he used to do when I was troubled, and I laid my head on his chest for a moment and then I turned to go.

"Now, go back and finish my house! I am anxious to leave this closet!" He swatted my ass playfully.

"As you wish, Master!" Things were back to normal.

Eric POV

After Pam left I sat in my office thinking about how to proceed. I knew Dina would fight against being turned but she did not have a choice. Pam had mentioned love to me. Even though I had told her otherwise, I wasn't sure if I could feel love. I felt something. It was deep and beautiful and filled my heart with joy. I didn't remember ever having such a feeling before. I could not allow Dina to die. I did not want to live without her by my side. I would have to do something to convince her that she could be happy as a Vampire. She loved me now, but I did not want to lose that love because I turned her against her will. It bore more serious thought but now I didn't have time. She was waiting for me downstairs and I was anxious to see how she would look wrapped in my blue rope. That thought made my fangs pop and my cock was instantly hard. I picked up the DVDs and headed back down the stairs, locking up each security door as I passed it.

She was lying on the couch with her eyes closed. Gods, had she gone to sleep again? But as soon as I closed the door behind me she opened her eyes, sat up, and treated me to that smile that I adored. "Did you enjoy your visit with Pam?" I asked her.

The room was instantly tense and she looked down at her hands. I understood why. I went to sit next to her. I wasn't going to prolong this or tease her. I needed her and Pam to get along. Few makers had other children when they were so close with their eldest. But some of me couldn't imagine a time where Pam wasn't always in and out of my life and always in regular contact with me.

"Was she friendly with you? Perhaps…flirtatious?" I kept my tone even, trying not to frighten her. After the time we'd had when we went over her contacts, she knew how serious I took other possible love interests in her life and might think I would want to punish her for the interaction between them.

"I… guess. I didn't… didn't expect Pam to act that way with me." Her voice was soft and she spoke hesitantly. She looked up at me with wide eyes.

"How did you think she'd act?" I asked curious; perhaps Dina thought her future sister would eat her in the 'draining' sense of the word.

"Well, I am kinda taking you from her. Not literally of course! But she was your one and only and now you are giving your time to me. I didn't expect to be anywhere on her 'favorite person' list." Leave it to my bonded to think of someone else's feelings. She even stopped eating in her own home. I didn't know what I was going to do with her.

"We can talk about that later. Pam will be fine with you and I want you to get along with her. Now answer my question." My voice was firmer now, closer to the Dominant voice that she knew she must always obey.

"She wasn't mean… what if she was a little flirty?" My bonded was smart. She answered me without really admitting to anything and asked me 'if' before she really started talking. At least I knew it was possible for her to watch her mouth and what came out of it.

"I will not punish either of you as long as there was no sexual touching or biting without my permission." I knew this relieved her, but her answers were still hesitant. I felt guilt in our bond. She felt like had somehow wronged me. I knew she had done nothing wrong, but my human was a monogamist by heart. Even attraction to another made her feel like she was on a slippery slope with me.

"I… I'd say we were flirty. She is a beautiful woman. But I'd never let anyone else bite me or touch me!" She reached and began to rub my forearms. "I only want you. You know that don't you?" Her voice was higher-pitched than normal. She felt like she had done something wrong and was still afraid even though I said I wouldn't punish her.

I kissed her nose. "I know how good-looking my child is and she knows how beautiful my Bonded is. I am not upset there is attraction between the two of you. Pam wouldn't ever touch what is mine without permission. Like you she is loyal." I smiled and pulled her close.

"You really aren't mad at me?" she had to ask.

"No, Dina, I am not!" I pulled back enough that I could take her face between my hands and look into her eyes. "You did nothing wrong. Flirtation between you and Pamela is not a threat to me or to us. I know that neither of you would do anything behind my back. I trust you. Do you believe me?" I didn't want this to linger between us the rest of the night.

She sighed and relaxed visibly, blinked her eyes a few times and smiled at me. She had fought back her tears; I could feel her strong emotions through the bond. She leaned in and put her head on my shoulder. "I love you so much Eric!"

I squeezed her tightly in response. When she said that it made my heart sing. I rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head, glad that the tension was gone from the room. I knew that if I held her this way too long I would push her down and have my way with her. Not just yet. So I changed the subject. "I brought down a bunch of DVDs. Would you like to watch one together?" We pulled apart and remained holding hands.

She hesitated a moment before answering. "I don't know Eric," she yawned. I'm pretty tired. I think I'll go get in bed." She got up and started for the bedroom. I followed. "Honey, why don't you stay out here and watch one of them? You'd probably have more fun doing that than watching me sleep." She waved her hand toward the living room as she said this.

Was I being dismissed? Really? After the conversation we had just had? Hell no, I wasn't going for that! "You are telling me you do not want to be with me?" I demanded, raising my eyebrows. Who did she think she was? Nobody was allowed to blow me off, especially not my Bonded submissive mate in my own home.

"Well, you'll probably want to feed and I'm just not in the mood for that!" she said off-handedly. Then she started to walk away from me again. I grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"You are not in the mood to feed me?" I was starting to get angry. I knew she was being moody and over-dramatic about things, but this was intolerable.

She looked at me innocently. "No," she said succinctly.

Wait a minute. Something was up. We'd had this conversation, or something very similar, once before. So I asked again in a rough voice. "Dina, are you willing to feed me or not?" 'Willing' being the operative word.

She looked down, and then she looked up at me through her eyelashes, a mischievous smile on her face. She raised her eyebrows and said coyly, and very clearly, "NO!"

Oh, it was like that was it? All right, game on! "Oh really?" I glared at her and then closed my eyes, calling forth the predator within me. The pressure rose in my chest and I felt my Vampire senses coming to life. I took a deep breath to clear my head and I let my fangs loose. They clicked into place, even longer than normal. They were like that when I hunted. I stuck out the tip of my tongue and let it lightly caress my right fang. I could feel her fear and anticipation. I could hear her heartbeat quicken. I could hear the blood rushing through her veins. I knew where every pulse point on her body was. I finally opened my eyes and stared at her intently, allowing the supernatural glow to come forward. I knew I looked scary; I meant to. I let go of her arm and heard her gasp as she took in my appearance, then, in my most lethal tone, I said one word: "Run."

She turned and let out a squeal, taking off in the direction of the kitchen. I would be patient. I counted slowly to five. After all, she was in my lair, locked in with no knowledge of the key combinations to unlock any of the security doors. There was no escape for her; she was trapped. Just the way I wanted it. One – Two – Three – Four – Five. I sniffed the air and I knew exactly where she was. I startled her, coming up on her fast with my Vampire speed. She was in the kitchen and let out a little scream when I popped up next to her. I didn't want this game to end quickly so I allowed her to put the island between us. I kept her in the kitchen, stalking back and forth on one side of the island – the side facing the house. She wouldn't be leaving the kitchen unless I allowed it, which I did. I suddenly dove over the top of the island, not disturbing anything on top, and deliberately missed. She ran for the bedroom. I smiled to myself. She had been so worried about my reaction to her and Pam just a few minutes before and she'd concocted this little game, which she knew I enjoyed, just to make me happy. I decided to "hide" for a while. What this meant was that when I didn't come after her, she would come looking for me. I would zip around the house faster than she could see whenever she approached my location. Then I would pounce when I was ready.

"Eric?" I heard her calling me when I didn't pursue her into the washroom or to the bedroom. Oh, I'd been there. She just hadn't seen me. She came back out into the living room area trying to sneak. It was so cute that I almost gave away my location chuckling. As she turned toward the kitchen where I was concealed I zipped past her, close enough to make a breeze on her skin. She laughed. "Not fair Eric!" Then she turned quickly, probably expecting me to be right there and grab her. That wasn't my plan. I guessed that her next plan was to try to turn the tables on me. "OK honey, well like I said I'm tired anyway. I'm gonna get in bed!"

Perfect.

I watched from the dark of the washroom as she moved to her side of the bed and started to get undressed. She pulled the nightgown over her head and set it down on the comforter. I took that as my cue to growl at her from the washroom. She heard me and froze. I felt the spike of fear that shot down her spine at my menacing threat. She wanted to be stalked by a Vampire. I would give her what she wanted. But then I zipped out of there and through the bedroom to the other side of the door. She decided to entice me.

She moved to the door between the bedroom and washroom, obviously thinking I was still in there. She faced in there and stretched her arms over her head, pushing her breasts forward toward where she thought I was. Then she grabbed them and rubbed them vigorously, making the nipples stand up. I enjoyed the show from behind. Then she turned sideways and bent over, shaking out her hair and massaging her scalp. When she flipped her hair back up and onto her back, she turned her ass toward where she still thought I was hiding and put her hands inside the panties, spreading her ass cheeks apart inside of them and then scrupulously straightening the garment. Then she became unsure of herself when there was no reaction. I wasn't going to come after her when she was putting on a show for me! She flipped the light on in the washroom and, what do you know? No Vampire. I felt her disappointment, and her very real fatigue. So I decided to make my move.

She came out of the washroom and rubbed her eyes, then she bent her elbows so they were straight out to her sides and her hands were next to her head in a very real stretch of her back and arm muscles. I flipped off the light, putting the room in total darkness, popped up behind her and grabbed her, my hands going through the crooks of her elbows to pull her arms roughly behind her. She screamed for real and I enjoyed that, making no effort to quiet her. Then she sighed, actually sounding relieved. "Eric, I…"

"Silence bloodbag!" I hissed into her ear in a lethal tone. I tackled her face down on the bed and ripped the underwear easily from her body. Then I tore it in two pieces and stuffed one piece into her mouth. I may have panicked her just a little bit because she began to struggle and kick at me in earnest – exactly what I wanted her to do. I let her get one really good kick in to my ribs – enough to piss me off – and snarled at her through bared fangs, my eyes glowing brighter than ever. I turned her to face me, making sure she saw what I looked like, and she was scared for real! She tried in vain to kick some more but I used my body to completely immobilize hers, one of my arms holding both of hers prisoner behind her. Her face was white and frightened beneath my close scrutiny, her eyes wide. But the bond told me something that made this all right. She trusted me and loved me. Yes, I was scaring her, deliberately. She had known that I would when she had enticed me in the beginning. She played her part well, trying to call me a filthy bloodsucker through her impromptu gag. I laughed evilly, covered her entire face with my free hand, and held her absolutely still as I forced her head to the side and bit. This was no lover's bite either. I made it hurt, and she whimpered and tried to move against me. But she was not going anywhere.

I took my fill of her and then slowly, gradually I loosened my hold on her. I made it a point to kiss her neck where I had bitten it and clean it thoroughly before I healed it. I would not let rough treatment from a game accidentally scar her beautiful neck. But as I lifted her up, gently pulling the cloth from her mouth, I began to inspect her for bruises that needed my attention. She suddenly put both hands together and came at me, smacking me hard in the chest and pushing me back several feet. "God-dammit Eric!" she screamed. Then she put her head into her hands.

I was stunned! 'Wait a minute!' I thought. What was wrong? Had I hurt her in some way that I didn't mean to? "Dina?" I came forward, remorseful but also very irritated that she had pushed me that way. Wasn't there a better way to talk something out between us?

She allowed me to take her into my arms and then looked up at me – with a big grin on her face! "Gotcha!" she wailed, nearly doubling over with laughter. I stood there a minute, affronted. Was this funny? She had just made me feel remorse when I had really done nothing wrong, then laughed at me for it! I must have had a startled look on my face because she laughed harder. "C'mon Eric! You know it's funny!" And I began to see the humor in it. My lips almost twitched in laughter, but instead I did something else.

"Oh, you think you can get away with that without punishment?" I let my fangs drop and kept my expression completely serious. "You do not insult Eric Northman and then laugh about it!" I stated emphatically. She had gone completely silent. I hauled her back to the bed, sat down, and tossed her over my knee, forcing her head down and imprisoning her wrists with that same hand. "Spread your legs!" I demanded. She complied. "Wider!" I ordered. She tried but it was really hard while on my lap. I moved my hand around on her cheeks as if trying to find the best spot to strike first, and I felt her cringing. I lifted my hand… and tickled her ribs! It took her a few seconds to realize that she wasn't really going to get punished, but then screamed at me.

"Eric! Let me up! I'm gonna kick your ass for that!" She yelled at me. I did let her up. I simply laid back on the bed and pulled her on top of me. Instead of kicking my ass she kissed me all over my face, smiling brightly. "I needed that!" she finally said, curling herself into my side warmly.

"So did I Lover! Thank you!" I said sincerely. "You make an excellent 'victim!'"

"You really did scare me for a minute, right there at the end," she admitted.

"And your trust never waned," I finished her thought. "That makes me happier than you know."

"Maybe someday I'll find out that I've been stupid all this time but I don't think you'd ever really hurt me. Your face and your eyes were the scariest things I've ever seen! And how do you get your fangs to go longer like that?" She was curious.

I was almost reluctant to tell her. "I was really hunting you," I said. "That was my true Vampire you met just a few minutes ago. The one who will never harm you. At least not consciously. But never forget. He is inside of me. That is why I urge such caution in certain situations."

"Is it too dangerous for me to play with you like that?" she wanted to know.

"Oh, probably," I smiled, dropping my fangs again, "but I hope you never stop." I turned to my side and let her thoroughly examine my fangs. She got up very close to them and touched them with her fingers. Then she wrapped her tongue around each of them, one at a time. This made me hard as a rock but I didn't want to ruin this sincerely honest moment we were having with each other.

"I love your fangs," she decided, then she reached up and kissed each one with her lips. They were sharp, so that scratched her. I swooped in to the rescue and kissed her, giving her my saliva and a little blood to heal them. "How do you kiss me without cutting me?" she wanted to know next.

I had to think about that one. It had become second nature to me throughout my life, especially before the Great Revelation when I'd had to hide my identity as a Vampire. "I just… do!" I told her, shrugging. "I used to have to. Now I do because I don't want to hurt you… all the time." I bared my fangs at her and winked. She laughed.

"What do you want to do now Eric?" she asked me honestly.

"I thought we'd watch a couple movies, and you get to help me practice my rope skills!" I waggled my eyebrows at her. She raised hers and smiled at me in inquiry, so I rolled over and pulled out the coils of bright blue rope I'd concealed there from her earlier.

"How did I know that tying me up had something to do with it?" she rolled her eyes at me. She reached out and touched the rope. "Soft! And so pretty! Where did you get it?"

Now it was my turn to be a bit self-conscious. "It is special, made for this purpose, and very expensive. All natural, for you, made with no animal products. I had it dyed. There is a blue dress you used to wear a lot. Notice the color here?" The dress was hot on her, and come to think of it, I hadn't found it in my exploration of her clothes. I'd have to find out where it was.

"Oh, I know the dress you mean!" she said, now taking a closer look. "I hope they still have it!"

"Who?" Suddenly I was feeling jealous of whoever had her dress.

She sensed it. "Stop it Eric," she reassured me. "It's at the cleaners. I spilled a bunch of barbecue sauce all over it and didn't think I could get it out myself."

"Really? When did this happen?" I'd seen her wearing that dress just four days before she called me from Merlotte's that first night. Who had she been out with?

"Are you still being jealous?"

"I am not jealous!" I insisted, but I was wasting my time.

"Really Eric? How often do I hear it from you? _'The bond does not lie!_"

It was a very admirable imitation of me; I had to admit!

"I.. just.. wondered.. who you were with is all! I saw you in that dress just a few days before…"

"You saw me?" she demanded suddenly. "What do you mean?"

"Dina," I said sternly, refusing to let her put me on the defensive. "We talked about this! You know I was…"

"Stalking me?" she interrupted.

I kept up with my stern demeanor even though I was losing ground fast. "Interested in you!" I was good at euphemizing.

"OK then, if you were... INTERESTED in me like you say, how come you didn't know about those Vampires in Merlotte's?" she wanted to know next.

I considered again how much to tell her, but considering that she was here and wasn't going anywhere, I decided full disclosure would be best. "I couldn't come and look after you every day myself," I told her. "Somebody else was there but had been told not to approach you or interfere. He didn't hear what had happened inside. I had just hung up with him when I got your call. If you would have waited another five minutes to call, I would have been on my way there in the car. That you sounded so panicked was the only reason I flew."

She listened to all of this with considerable calm, considering I had just told her that not only had I considered taking her, but that I watched her sometimes and had others doing it as well. Then she blindsided me. "What if that hadn't happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"Those Vamps came in and I called you and then I was yours. You were thinking about grabbing me off the street. Would you have done that if they hadn't made it easy for you?"

The next thing, she'd be accusing me of orchestrating the whole incident, which I hadn't. Bill had been less than forthcoming with Sookie. He never seemed to tell her enough about our kind and the Supe world in general. I couldn't absolutely say that Bill's tardiness for his date with Sookie that had led to her being beaten nearly to death by the Rattrays was done deliberately, but it definitely gave him an excuse to get a lot of his blood into her not long after they met. His actions were suspicious to me. He always gave her blood, though they had no formal bond. I wondered why. Perhaps he didn't truly want her as much as he claimed. Sookie found it in her to forgive the questionable things Bill did. He was lucky that her love was able to overcome that. I knew better than to try anything like that with Dina or any other woman I held an interest in. Gaining someone's trust and later love while being habitually dishonest could break a relationship. I may have wanted her and considered taking her, but I would never lie to have her.

I closed my eyes and sighed. "If I was going to do it I would have done it already, before Merlotte's ever happened. I had already decided against it so your answer is no. But I was watching you and looking for an opportunity to get closer to you. You just happened to give me one." I felt like I was never going to live down the fact that I'd had less-than-wholesome ideas in my head for a time.

She laughed. "What kind of thing were you looking for?" I was glad she knew I wasn't lying. Sometimes the bond was a real pain in the ass for me, especially when I was doing something that I didn't want her to feel me doing. But it was good that it forced us to be truthful with one another.

"I don't know. I thought, maybe you'd come into Fangtasia, or maybe I could," I paused and waggled my eyebrows, "come to your rescue." We both laughed at that, because that was pretty much what I had done.

"And you did. But haven't you ever heard of just walking up to a girl and asking her out?" She smiled, shaking her head at me. "I mean, that is what they've been doing now for a few decades."

"Maybe I should have just sent you a picture of my cock!" I countered. If she was going to tease me about wanting to kidnap her I was going to tease her about that picture in her email.

"Eric!" she pushed at my chest and I just pulled her closer. I guess I won that round.

I didn't think I'd ever even been this open with Sookie, and we'd had a lot of heart-to-hearts before Bill had come back into her life. "I don't think it really matters how we got here," I told her, holding her eyes. "I don't remember the last time I was this happy, if I ever was."

First she looked shocked, but that look quickly changed to one of happiness and love. "Eric, I don't know what to say. You can be so sweet sometimes! You're not always the big hard-ass Sheriff of Area Five. I'm so lucky to have this part of you to myself!"

She read me well. I wanted to own her – every part of her. She had no idea the fever she created inside of me. I was harsh, dominant, and possessive. But only with her could I be soft. Sookie had almost seen that side of me, but I recognized that I was wasting my time. No matter the wrongs he had done her, for some reason she could not let Bill go. I did not understand. I was sure that if I had done those things to my Dina, she would have kicked me to the curb. Being me, however, I probably would have refused to go away. As a matter of fact, I knew I would have. She meant too much to me. But if I had done those types of things to her, I would have needed to make amends. So far, I hadn't seen Bill lift a finger. He hung all over Sookie, glared viciously at me whenever I was in her presence, and over all acted like an idiot. Of course, I had no idea what they had done in private, and I did not want to know. Bill was possessive with her, arrogant, and cocky. He felt like he had won something from me. He hadn't. I had a much greater treasure now. Sookie was contracted to me for whenever I wanted to use her telepathy. That was all I wanted or needed from her.

It was time now for me to be the dominant. For some reason, I felt the need to assert myself over my Dina. I wrapped myself around her body, holding on tighter than I needed to. I rolled on top of her. She gasped at my sudden change, but it was exactly what she had just been talking about. One minute I was very soft with her, and the next I would change and become the dominant Vampire. My fangs popped out without any prompting from my brain. I stuck my face into the soft spot between her jaw and her shoulder, nudging the collar aside. This collar was starting to irritate me. It was too big, too stiff, and was always in my way. I had also noticed it starting to irritate her skin and make marks. I would get her a new one - something pretty, something smaller, and let her have a choice. I thought she would like that. I whispered, "You are mine," and held my fangs to her throat, piercing the skin slightly. I did not want to take any more of her blood yet but I let her think that I would.

She raised her chin, tilting her head slightly away from me to give me more room to do what I wished. "Yes, Eric," she responded softly. "I am yours." With difficulty, I retracted my fangs, licked the blood away from the tiny puncture marks I had made, pulled that piece of skin into my mouth, and sucked hard. I wanted it to leave a mark. I knew adolescent human boys enjoyed marking their females in this manner, but no one would see this but me, and perhaps Sean and Leila. I growled possessively in response and licked at the mark I had made. I liked it. I moved back a couple of inches and made another one. "Eric!" She giggled. "That tickles!" This time she tried to raise her shoulder to block my access to her neck, but I was having none of that. I growled again and used my hand to hold her shoulder down, and as punishment, I moved forward and down below her collarbone, and made one more mark, this time adding a prominent set of fang marks in the center.

"I will mark you as I choose!" I growled roughly. But she had satisfied me. She had said yes. That was all I wanted. I levitated us both about three feet above the bed, causing her to gasp and clutch at me desperately. I chuckled. "Wrap your legs around me Lover." She had again done what I wanted. I wanted her to hold on to me tightly, and she did. Like I was her lifeline, even though if I dropped her she would land softly. I suddenly got an idea. "Do not move!" I ordered her, kissing her hard on the mouth. I grabbed both of her hands and put them over her head, and then I unwrapped her legs from around me and spread them out on the bed. There was no purpose to this except that I wanted to look at her this way. I gave her a stern look and got up off the bed, heading to the linen closet for a wicker basket that I'd purchased to take Sookie on a picnic. The picnic had never happened but I still had the basket. It was empty, but I brought it back to the bedroom and began to fill it with the twenty or so small coils of blue rope that I had gotten out for tonight. Dina still lay exactly as I'd expected her to and she was looking curiously at me.

"What are you doing Eric?" she asked timidly, probably thinking I was going to tie her to the bed.

"You'll find out in a moment," I said, giving her no clue as to what was going on. I set the basket next to her on the bed and then resumed my place on top of her. "Hold on tight!" I exclaimed, laughing as I levitated again. I only went up a few inches, giving her time to grab me around the neck and rewrap her legs around me. Then I grabbed the basket and levitated us, just as we were, out to the couch. By the time we got there, Dina wasn't ready to let go.

"Wasn't that fun?" I asked. She made no move to relinquish her hold.

"Fun? …Honey, I have feet for a reason. Let's keep them on the ground! Please!" She said and slowly let go of me.

"We were only a few feet in the air. I'd never drop you."

"I believe you. Let's just have me trust you and you try to keep my feet on the ground." She put on a fake smile. I shook my head. How would my little one charge into a fight between a group of humans and a vampire, yet be so scared of flying 6 feet off the ground? Unbelievable.

I got up to sit next to her and pulled her to stand in front of me. "Rope skills, remember?" I indicated the basket full of blue rope. She rolled her eyes and nodded, waiting for me to direct her. She had regained her composure since having her feet back on the ground, "where they belonged."

I had become interested in Shibari, one name for the art of Japanese rope bondage. It was beautiful when a woman was tied that way and it was also functional. I could simply tie Dina to look good for me, or I could suspend her in almost any position without pinching nerves or creating pressure points. There were many forms of rope bondage with many places of origination. I didn't keep to any specific one, but was interested in studying people who had invented their own knots and variations on harnesses and suspension ties. I was studying many different types of rope bondage.

This night I would be putting Dina in a simple harness with her arms folded behind her back and her breasts framed by the ropes. I'd add some diamond shapes on her body with decorative knots, run a double rope through her crotch and frame her ass/waist from behind. This was a combination of techniques and I'd studied several videos. It would not put a lot of stress on any part of her body and I could leave her tied for a few hours, as long as I checked in with her often. I was confident that I could complete it in very little time. She wouldn't be able to move her arms side to side or away from her body if I did it correctly and there was absolutely no chance of escape. I had other plans for her nipples while she was bound this way, and I had found these techniques while searching online for BDSM material for Dina to study and comment on.

"Turn to face away from me, Lover," I demanded in my Dominant voice. She complied without comment or hesitation and I was pleased. I gentled my tone but still kept it stern. "All you have to do is relax and tell me if anything hurts. I mean it this time Dina! If you allow yourself to become injured beyond what I expect there will be punishment." I growled in warning. "If anything feels more than slightly uncomfortable or like it's hitting a nerve, I want to know! If anything starts to tingle or go numb, I want to know! If there is recurring pain that worsens, I want to know! Use your safewords, just like I told you. 'Red, Eric' to ask me to stop or 'Yellow, Eric' to ask me to check something. If I ask you what color you feel like you are and everything is fine, you will say 'Green, Eric.' Otherwise there is no need for you to speak unless I ask you a question. You may ask for permission to speak if you need to. You will always use my name when speaking to me. This begins now. Do you understand?" The correct response was 'yes Eric.'

"Yes, Eric!" she spoke right up enthusiastically. "But can I ask you a question?" The last was spoken softly and hesitantly.

"Of course," I responded, stopping what I was doing for a minute.

"You said, 'if I was injured beyond what you expect.' What do you expect?"

This was actually a very smart question on her part and I was proud of her. I sent that to her through our bond and felt her happiness. "You may have a few bruises, which I will heal. I will try to avoid giving you rope burns, and this kind of rope is good for that. Beyond that you should have no injuries. Okay?"

"Yes, Eric," she responded, letting me know that she was satisfied with my answers. I felt her relief in knowing that she should have little to no injury from this activity.

I pushed her hair to the side and kissed the back of her neck, enjoying the shiver that went through her body. "Very good," I said softly. Then I began to work. It took about 45 minutes to do everything I wanted to do on the videos I had watched. Using my Vampire speed, I would be able to complete it in half the time. I kept the tension even and turned her a few times to work on the front or the back. I was counting on her to tell me if anything was wrong. Finally I walked her to the center of the room, leaving her there and walking away a few feet. When I turned back to her, the sight of the blue rope against her creamy skin was nearly my undoing! She was perfection! The rope harness wrapped around the base of each of her breasts and tied together in the center. Then another set of ropes were like straps and pulled up slightly. There was no loss of circulation or undue pressure on her breasts; I would be able to leave this on her for quite a while. The intricate diamond shapes I had formed the ropes into along with the large decorative knots I tried were breathtaking on her! "Turn around Lover!" I croaked, my throat dry. Nothing, repeat nothing, had had such an effect on me as far back as I could remember!

From the back she was even more spectacular! The sight of the ropes holding her arms prisoner and the knowledge that she could not get out of it made my fangs elongate. I was nearly drooling! The way the ropes went through her pussy and then came back around at her waist framed her heart-shaped ass beautifully! My eyes were automatically drawn to the tiny diamond I had formed just above the crack of her ass. Beautiful! I should have tied a knot in the rope right at her clit to see how she handled that! I put that thought in the back of my mind for next time. I had tied women up for centuries but had never paid attention to the art that this was. My Dina was a masterpiece. I was going to pull those ropes up tight between her lower lips and suck away the moisture there.

"Come here to me Dina, now!" I ordered, my eyes glowing at her. I tasted fear in the air. I must look a lot like I had when I'd stalked her in my full Vampire mode a while ago. "No need to fear; I will not hurt you!" I promised. But maybe she wanted me to hurt her. Hmmmm… we would explore that possibility later! She came to me without hesitation, staring boldly into my eyes until she stood directly before me, and then she dropped her gaze in submission. My cock nearly liberated itself from my pajama pants, it jumped so hard for her! I pulled her to me by the front of the harness and kissed her hard, deeply, passionately, almost brutal in my need for her. I put my hands on her breasts, kneading and squeezing hard, handling them roughly. There would be bruises later. My fingers found her nipples and I flicked at them with my nails until they stood at attention for me. Tonight I would see how far I could stretch them. I pinched them hard at the same time and took her cry of pain into my mouth. I felt her struggle against the ropes holding her arms behind her and a growl rose of its own accord from within my chest. My inner sadist had awakened. I stopped groping and pinching her breasts and encircled her throat with my hands. Instead of panicking or struggling, she stretched her neck out for me and stared into my eyes. "Mine!" I growled, squeezing a little. I felt her swallow but she didn't move.

"Yes Eric!" She responded appropriately. My chest swelled with pride and possession. I took the ring of her collar and pulled her to the couch. I stepped out of my pants and sat down, guiding her to her knees before me.

"You know what I want! Give it to me, now!" I ordered, pulling her forward with my finger still in the collar's ring and guiding my cock to her mouth. The hand that wasn't holding the ring found its way into her hair. I grasped it in my fist and pulled slightly, letting her know that this was going to be on my terms. "I want to see your eyes while you do it!" She was unable to respond as I pulled her onto my cock, all the way into her throat. She choked. The sadist in me reveled as she struggled. I let her go, giving her a look of warning. I wanted no words of complaint. The dominant sadist in me had been enflamed, and I needed her to put out the fire. "Again," I said in a low voice. This time she was prepared as I forced myself into her throat. She breathed through her nose and calmed her gag reflex. I pushed in harder, cutting off her air. Her eyes began to water but she didn't struggle. She trusted me to let her go before any harm was done, and I did. I took my finger out of the D-ring and placed it on the back of her head. I was keeping control but we found a rhythm that satisfied me. I continued to hold her eyes. "I'm pushing in," was all the warning I gave her before I thrust myself into her throat again. I began to slowly fuck her face, holding her still while I took her throat as I pleased. The muscles in my pelvis started to tighten. I was coming close. I began to growl louder as the tears streamed down her face in earnest. My pace quickened and my finger found the D-ring on the collar again. I forced myself into her throat over and over again, making sure that I didn't cut off her air for more than a second or two at a time. She began to moan and the vibration of her voice brought me almost to the edge. Then she swallowed just as I thrust, and she did it again, and again. My sac tightened. I was going to cum. I wanted to draw it out but I couldn't any more. "Dina!" I uttered urgently. "Take it all! Do not waste a…" I never got to finish my sentence as my cock let loose and my world exploded into a million colored stars. I felt like I was going to turn inside out as I powerfully sent stream after stream of my seed into her throat. I raised my head and praised her in my native language, calling her name again and again. Aftershocks rolled through my entire body in time with her heartbeat. I continued to thrust softly, unwilling to leave the warmth of her willing mouth, but I knew I had to. I gently pulled away and she collapsed against my thigh, spent. So was I. I felt like I could actually sleep.

"My Dina!" I crooned softly and lifted her into my lap. She curled her body against me. I'd forgotten how exhausted she'd become. "Thank you!" I whispered to her, planting soft kisses on her neck, collarbone, shoulders. I swung my legs up onto the couch and reclined, pulling her onto my chest. I couldn't lay her on her back or it would hurt her arms. I wasn't ready to let her go yet.

"Eric," she spoke so softly that only a Vampire, or perhaps only _this_ Vampire, could hear her.

"Mine!" It slipped out without my thinking about it.

"Yes Eric," she sighed in that same tiny voice. Within the next few seconds she was asleep, bindings and all. I put a pillow under my arm sideways and fluffed it up so that it was high enough for her to lay her head down comfortably. I reached up for the soft throw that she insisted we keep on the couch. Now I understood why as I fingered its softness, finding it very pleasant, and gently put it over us. I put my arm around her, my hand resting on the bindings between her wrists. My other arm went around her shoulders, above the blanket, so I could make sure it stayed on her. I kissed my Bonded gently on the top of her head and stroked my hand through her locks. They were softer than they had been when I'd brought her here, and longer too. I would not allow Leila to cut her hair except for necessary trimming, I decided. My mate's hair would be the envy of all. Still stroking her hair softly, I closed my eyes and went into downtime.

Dina POV

I woke up slightly disoriented, only sure that I wasn't where I usually woke up – in the comfy bed I shared with Eric. But as my senses blossomed outward I realized that I was lying on his chest, and quite comfortably so. An attempt to sit up brought back the realization that he had bound my arms and was holding me in such a way that I couldn't really move. But I was comfortable. We were covered in the soft throw that I loved and kept on the couch all the time. One of his hands was below the cover with me, and he was lightly gripping one of my hands in his. I stretched out my fingers to meet his and he caressed them in response. His other hand rested on top of my upper back outside the cover.

As soon as he felt me stir, Eric's arms tightened around me. I rubbed my face happily against his chest and looked up at him to find him smiling back at me. "Did you have a nice nap?" he teased.

"God Eric, I'm so sorry!" I was embarrassed at my exhaustion. "I don't know why I can't stay awake tonight!" I hid my face against his chest.

He laughed and began to stroke my hair. "If it is for the reason you believe, I do not mind it at all!"

My face got even redder at his reminder that he was eagerly anticipating my period. It was too much to wrap my head around two minutes after waking up so I just changed the subject. "Can I have another pop Eric?" He looked at me for a minute like he might say no, but instead he asked a question.

"What is it about this Pepsi drink that you love so much? I must admit, it's strange to me and I am suspicious of it."

"Well Eric," I paused – I'd never had to defend my favorite drink before, "I like the taste, of course. I like the carbonation – the bubbles," I said when he looked confused. "But really it's the caffeine that I like the best."

"Caffeine?" He tilted his head to the side. Eric was obviously very unschooled on human foods and it showed. I wanted to laugh but I didn't. "What is that?"

"Well it's a… stimulant," I told him, searching for the right word. "It will help me stay awake." I hoped that would satisfy him.

"I know what a stimulant is, Dina!" he said, irritated. "So is this caffeine present in all human drinks?"

I was getting tired of this lesson in human sustenance, but I tried not to show it. "No, just stuff like cola drinks, some juices, energy drinks."

"Is it good for you?" He wanted to know.

"Ummmm, well, it's not exactly on the food pyramid…" He looked at me like I'd lost my mind. "I'll explain that another time. We shouldn't have a lot of it but it generally doesn't hurt us."

"How many per day is safe for you?" Oh great, now he was playing nutritionist.

"I don't know Eric! Three, four. I'm not a doctor or a food expert." I was getting exasperated; I just wanted some caffeine to help me wake up.

"I will give you one more tonight then," he stated. "And I will ask Dr. Ludwig what the limit should be."

I sighed and dropped my shoulders. I would have sat and drunk them one after the other all night if I didn't have to go through him. But he had to do everything for me if he wanted to keep me tied up like this. "Thanks Eric," I managed to smile and kiss his chin. His cheek was too far away. He sensed I wasn't happy.

"What is it?"

"You know what it is Honey," I responded, laying my head on his shoulder. "I'm used to doing what I want and having what I want. Asking you for everything is hard."

He sat us both up and held on to me. "I know it is but you'll get used to it." He sat me on the couch next and started checking the ropes that held me bound. "Is anything too tight? Hurting you? Are your hands going to sleep?" He checked my hands to make sure they were warm.

"It's all fine. You did a good job. I…" Suddenly I didn't want to tell him what I'd started to say so I looked away, hoping he'd let it go. Of course he wouldn't.

"You what?" He asked, cupping my chin in his fingers and forcing me to look at him. I blushed some more. He smiled. He was going to push, but in a nice way I guess. "Dina?" His voice became stern but still soft.

"Never mind Eric!" I tried to duck and cover. "It's too embarrassing!"

"Tell me, Dina!" he insisted. He backed me up against the couch cushions and crawled over me, forming a cage around me with his body. Then with his knee he nudged my legs farther apart and his hand was there, waiting to take control of my body.

"No! Eric don't… ooohhhh!" I moaned as his fingers found my clit and he touched it just right. By now Eric knew my body so well he could play me like a guitar. I arched my back and opened my legs wider for him, forgetting completely about our conversation. "Eric, oh god, Eric!" I breathed. His eyes held mine when I would have closed them. The world disappeared and there were only Eric's eyes, and Eric's fingers, and Eric's voice. He took me right to the edge and held me there.

"Tell me Dina, and I'll let you cum!" he crooned softly into my ear as he hovered over me, gathering me into his arms to hold me tightly.

"Not fair Eric!" I squirmed and tried to move into a position where he would be touching me the way I wanted him to, but he used his whole body to pin me down and hold me still while he teased me. Then he got the rope that went through my crotch involved, moving it back and forth softly over my swollen little nub. He wouldn't let me push against it though, instead holding it away when I did manage to move. "Please Eric!" He held me there right before the peak of the mountain.

"Tell me Lover!" he whispered wickedly, beginning to suck and bite at the skin on my neck and chest with his teeth and fangs. He knew what that would do to me.

"All right all right!" I whined, struggling against him but getting nowhere. "I like this! OK?"

He stopped what he was doing and looked at me. "You like what?"

"When you put these ropes on me. I like it, all right? I love it! I want you to make them tighter! I want you to add more!" Now that he'd gotten it out of me I was going to say it! "They feel good against my skin. They don't bite like metal. Aaahhhhhh!" The last was a scream as he kept his promise and let me cum. It was strong enough to make my entire body and his shake. I rubbed against him like a cat in heat. "Oohhhh God, Eric, I need you inside me, please?" I knew I needed to ask, not demand.

But Eric was hard and ready for me. Maybe what I said about the ropes excited him. He grinned at me through his fangs and got to his knees, pulling me with him. He turned us so that we could lie down fully on the couch and he moved over me, growling softly, his eyes emanating that soft glow. As he pushed me down onto my back he put his arm around my back, holding me close to his body as he rested on his other arm and kissed me thoroughly. His kisses were like a drug for me whether he was nibbling at me with his teeth, kissing me softly or taking my mouth with dominant passion. He never set me down to put my weight on my arms as long as he was kissing me, and he urgently thrust himself against my abdomen, his cock leaving a trail of moisture that felt like burning fire on my skin that ignited in me just below where it touched. I ground myself against him, wanting full contact, wanting him inside of me, but he resisted. I only wanted him to rub against my still swollen clit to get the fire burning hotter.

Finally he eased me down onto my bound arms and the ropes began to pull at them, biting into my skin and making me gasp from the strain. The softness of the rope helped it not to scratch me but I felt every strand where it looped around my arms and wrists. It made me feel helpless and vulnerable, completely at the mercy of my huge Vampire with glowing eyes and sharp fangs… I'd never been so turned on in my life! I began to struggle against the ropes just to feel them bite into my skin harder, to increase the feeling of being his willing captive. He held me still with ease and began to kiss and bite a trail heading south. His cool lips made me burn even more for him and he stopped to pay attention to each of my breasts. He loved to sink his fangs in on either side of my nipples and tonight was no exception. I nearly screamed with the pain when his fangs pierced my flesh, but instead I pushed my breast toward him, inviting him to take his fill of me. His eyes never left mine and I saw his dominance there, his assurance that I belonged to him and him alone, and I reveled in that look. It made me feel wanted, desired.

He reached around me and grasped my bound arms with his hands and felt the ropes that he had put there. He moved his hands around, touching each loop and knot as he took my blood with his fangs. I knew he was testing to make sure they weren't too tight, but I also felt through the bond that he enjoyed his power over me. As he kissed and nibbled at my hip bones his hands came back to spread my legs wide. I gave him no resistance. I was panting heavily, wanting his touch, wanting his cock buried inside of me, thrusting hard and taking what he wanted while giving me what I needed. He put his thumbs on the ropes that ran through my pussy, spreading my outer lips wide with them and gazing at his masterpiece. I could only imagine what the sight of that bright blue rope sitting where he had put it in my most intimate spot would do to him.

His head dipped down and his tongue began to taste me. He licked up and down my lower lips with a firm touch and then I felt him take the ropes between his teeth. As he held the ropes between his teeth his tongue delved inside of me, looking for the honey that he knew was there, the moisture that he'd created with his touch. The rope was so soft that he moved his lips downward to the point where it had been buried the deepest, and it felt like he actually sucked the moisture from the rope itself! As I squirmed and moaned at his attentions, his hands moved over my hips and he applied his strength to hold them still. I felt him very carefully take the rope between his teeth again and he pulled it tight, so tight that it was nearly painful! Then he took it in one of his hands and began to flick it with the other, causing it to strike my swollen clit over and over and over. He varied the strength of each strike, some very soft, some very hard, but he always kept up the pressure and the rhythm he had started. Before long I was thrashing and moaning and calling his name over and over and over. He reached down again with his miracle tongue and circled my little nub, then he pulled it into his mouth and applied his teeth gently in just the right spot. "ERIC!" I screamed as my whole body convulsed; I felt like I was having a seizure! Bright light exploded inside my head and I swore I floated up a dozen or so feet and drifted gently back down. Aftershocks rocked my body over and over as his tongue continued to lick and circle my hot spot. Finally it got to be too much to bear and I started to flinch and pull back when I felt his touch. Again the rope was tightened and his head disappeared – I couldn't see him any more and I felt the rope pull and tighten in a different spot. Then, like a spring, the ends came flying up and landed on my belly. The pressure was all gone and I felt Eric's fingers inside of me. I moaned and bucked against his hand. He quickly rose up over me again and rubbed my lips with the two fingers he'd had inside of me. I knew what he wanted and I opened my mouth to clean them thoroughly. I treated his fingers like they were his cock, licking and sucking and moving my head back when he pushed his long digits into my throat. Slowly he pulled his fingers from my mouth and replaced them with his tongue. He kissed me roughly, biting and letting his fangs cut me, then healing me and letting them do it again. I felt him growl again in his chest.

And then, quicker than I could think, his lips were gone and I was flipped over onto my stomach with a pillow under my hips. He pushed my legs apart with his own and slid fluidly into me. I sighed with relief until he bumped up against my cervix and I felt pain. He thrust again and again it hurt, and again. I flinched and instinctively pulled away with a little cry. He didn't like that at all! He spanked my ass with his hand and then he put that hand under my body and gripped my shoulder, hard. He grabbed my hair with the other hand and his thrusts became harder. I couldn't pull away because each time he pushed in he pulled me back with the hand on my shoulder and tightened his grip in my hair.

"Mmm, Eric…it hurts. Please stop!" I cried out to him, I think he felt I was just being difficult because of the bindings and not because I was in pain. Truthfully, I didn't have any urge to fight these ropes the way I fought being tied up the other day. "Yellow."

I remembered the colors we discussed and quickly used it. Let's see if it worked as well as I needed it to!

He stopped with his cock embedded deep in me, still holding me. His body went perfectly still and the pain stayed. "What hurts?"

"Inside… I'm very sensitive right now." I was gasping and breathless.

"Because of your impending bleeding for me?" he asked, sounding completely unaware of the possibility. I also noticed how a monthly period became 'for him.'

"Yes." I really wished he'd ease out already, but apparently 'yellow' just froze everything.

"You felt wet enough. I am not being any more rough than usual. Explain how to fix this." He sounded entirely perplexed.

"Eric… you are hitting my cervix. Which is probably angled differently and is sensitive. My ovaries are in a different position as well. I… I really don't want to give you an anatomy lesson right now! I think we need to stop and maybe try again in another position and go slow."

"I will google these changes you are describing to me. If you think that is best. I'm going to pull out of you now. I will go slow. Hold still." He said and seemed concerned. It stung a bit as he pulled out, but I felt better once we were disentangled. His hands fell on my back and ran down my legs. He gently pushed me as flat as I could go and began to soothingly rub my body.

I felt his fingers touch the skin not covered by rope and wondered how my skin would feel once I was unbound.

"This is very unexpected… I an beginning to understand why your bleeding makes you so unhappy. What can we do so I can mate with you, without causing you pain? Would you like to ride me?" He asked, attentively.

"No, I think that would be worse. I rarely…" I stopped, wondering if it was terrible to mention past encounters at a time like this. It seemed low class and also like something that would upset my possessive vamp.

"You rarely are on top and it's painful when your bleeding is coming. Is that what you are trying to say?" He filled in the blanks for me.

"Yes. Maybe we can try missionary?" I asked, wondering if that was possible with my ropes.

"I'd like to keep you tied up and don't want to hurt your arms. Let's try again in this position. You can adjust your body however you like."

I sighed and nodded. I lifted my butt into the air and leaned forward. I felt his hands move to grip my hips. I heard him spit and knew he was lubricating his cock. I relaxed in hopes we could do this without pain. I hated PMS and everything that went with it. Why would my body try to stop me from having the sex we both loved?

Eric slowly slid in and found a rhythm that was much slower. But I was shocked by one thing – he was only putting some of his cock into me. He barely brushed my cervix, but still rubbed my g-spot. I immediately felt like this was unfair. He wouldn't cum from this alone.

"Eric…honey, this is so nice of you. But you need to cum too."

"I am fine. I want to feel you cum around my cock. I promise you will get me off one way or another very soon." I heard the smile in his voice and couldn't help but smile back. I had a feeling I'd be repeating my earlier actions on his fingers, but on a different part of his body after I came.

For all his reputation for being ruthless, heartless, savage, unmerciful, and downright mean, Eric was a very caring lover. It was no wonder the fangbangers all wanted him, if anyone who had been with him had talked. But, then again, as with other parts of our lives, I might be seeing a side of him that he didn't show to anyone else. I couldn't imagine him sacrificing his own pleasure, even if only temporarily, for someone he really didn't care about and didn't plan to see again. Once again he was an enigma to me.

He really did know what he was doing, because he angled himself just so, and within minutes I was panting and moaning, writhing beneath him and loving the feel of him holding me so tightly. This time his arm was around my chest just under my breasts as he held me close to him, his other hand supporting his weight while he moved within me. I could feel the tension in him as he held himself back from thrusting so powerfully and fully into me the way he usually did. I tried to use my inner muscles to squeeze him, hoping that this would help him to enjoy it more, but the effort hurt me. Nevertheless I kept trying, but he picked up on my pain and growled into my ear to stop. He picked up his pace, able to thrust so quickly that we almost could have started a fire. I knew there was a fire inside of me and it was getting harder to control. My inner walls started to contract and convulse and as I arched my back to give myself fully to him the delicious sensations started to quiet the cramping that I still felt. "Ooooohhhhhhh!" I moaned passionately, about to give in to the quickening inside of me. "!" My body began to shake and my pelvis gyrated wildly as the climax overtook me, especially when I felt his fangs piercing the flesh of my neck. I tried to hold still for his fangs but it wasn't easy. A low moan kept going on and on and on, until I realized it was me and quieted myself. Amazed, I felt little fluttering spasms move throughout my abdomen and what must have been my internal sexual organs, calming the pain and relaxing the tightness I'd felt earlier. I sighed with pleasure and relief.

Eric finished what he was doing and kissed me where he'd bitten me. "What was that for?" he chuckled at me.

"You won't believe the feeling you just gave me! You relaxed everything! All the pain is gone!" I told him, astounded. I leaned my head back to rub my cheek against his. He pulled away from me very gently; he was taking my discomfort seriously! He sat up and pulled me into his lap, checking the ropes again to see if anything had slipped or become too tight. He pressed my skin in between the loops on my arms.

"How does this feel? Does it hurt or is it numb?" He was going out of his way to make sure that I was all right again as he had done before. He may have been keeping me bound for hours, but he was being responsible about it.

"What if I told you it hurt me?" I asked him.

He looked at me as if trying to judge whether I was serious. "I would untie you. Does it hurt?"

I shook my head. "No. I just wanted to know what you would say."

He stared at me almost with a look of suspicion for a few more seconds and then, seemingly satisfied, set me on the couch next to him. I immediately curled into his side. All of a sudden it actually dawned on me that he'd cut the rope that had run through my crotch – it had been pretty uncomfortable at first until I'd gotten used to it. Even so, the integrity of his ties hadn't changed. I could no more move my arms now than I'd been able to before he'd cut that other rope. He felt me moving around. "Are you sure you aren't uncomfortable?" he insisted.

"I'm way more comfy than I was actually!" I explained, and then I blushed. "You cut the rope that was, um, you know…"

"In your pussy?" he asked intently, his fangs down again and his eyes glowing. God, he was ready for the next round and I was exhausted! He caught the back of my head and kissed me hard. Oh yeah, he was ready for more! When he let me go he smirked at me and I caught a glimpse of what he had waiting for me, still needing attention. I shivered, and he growled. But he wanted to hear what I had to say first. "Finish your sentence." But I was caught by his eyes, momentarily mesmerized and speechless. "Dina?" he finally asked, waving his hand in front of my face.

I was so embarrassed! "Oh, I…" then I laughed. "Good thing you weren't trying to glamour me or you'd have gotten anything you wanted!"

He advanced on me then, turning his body in my direction and forcing me back until I was lying under him again. "I don't have to glamour you to get whatever I want, do I?"

God, he was so sexy! He took my breath away! I gasped for air for a few seconds before managing to say "I think you're right!"

"I am!" he said with Eric's typical overconfidence, lowering his body enough to press a certain part of his anatomy against my stomach. "Now, tell me what you were going to say so you can give me what I want!" He smiled with typical cocky Eric fashion and this time I rolled my eyes.

"OK but it's silly. I was just thinking how you cut that other rope and I still can't move my arms, that's all."

He obviously hadn't thought I would say anything like that because for a second he looked surprised. Then he laughed and shook his head. "That is just because of the way I tied you. You will never… escape… when bound by my ropes." The intensity had returned to his eyes and I realized he was serious. He thought I was trying to get away!

"Eric, I don't ever want to escape from anything that binds me to you," I told him sincerely. We held each other's eyes for a few minutes. No words were needed. He smiled softly at me and stroked my forehead, but then hauled me up off of my back to check the ropes again.

"Still all right?"

"Yes Eric," I said, giving him the submissive words he liked and lowering my eyes for him. I knew how much it turned him on for me to act that way. He growled at me again and then smiled dangerously, taking me firmly by the shoulders and putting me on my knees on the floor. He was so hard it looked painful.

I licked my lips in anticipation. I loved to taste him, almost as much as he loved to be in my mouth. I started to kiss the sides of his head. I was half sucking and half kissing all around the top of his cock. My lips opened, enclosed around him, and were pulled down until they were closed and ended by giving his dick a loving peck. Eventually I added my tongue and he began to thrust his hips at my face. I knew he was okay with my slow pace and light teasing. If not he would have grabbed my head and thrust into my mouth already. I decided to take pity on his need and brought his whole tip into my mouth. I sucked him and kept rubbing every bit of his head with my tongue. He enjoyed this very much! I wished I could use my hands on him.

I was surprised when the beginning signs of his approaching orgasm came. Since when did he cum just from me sucking his tip? He groaned very loudly and grabbed my head.

"Open." He said hoarsely.

I opened and he pushed deep into my mouth, touching my throat. I quickly began to move my head. I knew I was getting better at giving Eric what he wanted. I wouldn't ever be able to deep throat all of him, but I could take a lot of him in now. This time I was ready for the slight gagging and tears that stung my eyes when his hips jerked against my face. I didn't think he did it intentionally every time. He was fighting to hold back and draw this out. I wanted to finish him off. My pace increased. I alternated between bobbing my head and taking him as far back as I could and making sure his head received adequate attention from my tongue. This was my first time really seeing Eric respond so strongly. His body shook and his hands never stopped touching me, massaging my scalp, pulling my hair, holding my head tighter as he moaned louder and louder.

"Gods…Dina, swallow…every drop…" He let out a guttural near scream as his body convulsed. I felt a rope of cum hit the back of my throat. Followed by another, another, and I swallowed every bit I could. I tried to let go of his cock, but he kept it in my mouth by holding my head. "Almost," he said softly.

He reached his hand down and grabbed his base. He slowly and tightly slid his hand up his shaft. He was effectively 'cleaning his pipes' and pushing the last bit of cum into my mouth. I gently sucked it out, not wanting to be too rough on his delicate post-orgasmic member. Finally satisfied that I hadn't missed a drop he let go of my head and I lowered it to his rest on his leg. I kept it there as he gently played with my hair and let his body enjoy the aftershocks.

It dawned on me how natural this was. The first time I'd put my head on his leg in such a submissive fashion it had felt weird and very 'pet like.' Some of me had immediately thought I should stop. But now a part of me was beginning to admit I liked this. I was on my knees with my head on my Master's lap. He was being very affectionate as he played with my hair and massaged my sensitive scalp. My arms and body were still bound in rope and my jaw was recovering from pleasuring him. But something about this felt so very nice and right. I closed my eyes and sighed, smiling.

Eric must have thought I was about to go to sleep again, because out of nowhere he picked me up and held me on his lap. He seemed surprised that my eyes were wide open as I smiled at him. "What is it?" I asked.

He smiled his wicked smile again. "I didn't want you to go to sleep again, Lover. I'm not quite finished with you yet."

Last Revised Wednesday, April 18, 2012 Page 27 of 27


	26. Headache with EPOV

Dina POV

Eric had carried and situated me on the bed and was carefully taking the ropes off me. He was apparently going to keep the ones he didn't snap and fray with his fangs. He told me not to move my arms too fast after they had been still for so long. He massaged each part of me as he freed me from the bindings. He let me lower myself to the bed and I curled up comfortably. Part of me wanted to stretch out, but I was tired. My head was a little sore. I hadn't had a headache in a while; I'd forgotten how bad they felt. I hoped that since my health was so much better with Eric's blood and I had enough caffeine today I wouldn't get a migraine. I relaxed on the bed and took it easy while Eric put the ropes away and said he had to get something.

He came back and sat beside me. I looked up at him and smiled. He pushed some strands of hair that had fallen out of my face. I didn't know why I thought having bangs would be a good idea. I was growing them out.

"How do you feel? Any pain in your arms?"

"Nope. Just stiff from holding position." I said honestly.

"We can fix that." He smiled and produced a bottle of massage oil. "Its pomegranate scented. Stretch out for me."

I was very pleased he picked a fruit I loved. He pushed my hair out of the way. It was getting knotted. I would need to brush it soon. He began to rub the oil into my shoulders. It was a little cold, but warmed against my skin after a few moments. His touch was almost too gentle. I kinda wanted more pressure to work out my kinks.

"Is this good, lover?" He asked me.

"Yes…thank you…if you want you can go a little harder. I won't break."

"You don't have to thank me to seeing to your body. Tell me if it's too much. I want to make your body feel good."

I told him I would and stretched my muscles again. It felt good to move around. The pain in my head still hadn't gone away. I felt Eric's fingers slide down my shoulders and I moved my arms away from my body. Instead of rubbing my back and sides, he used both hands on my right arm. He was firmer this time and watched my face to make sure I was enjoying his ministrations. I sighed contently and closed my eyes. He worked my arms. Eventually they were so relaxed I felt like they were made of jelly. He went back to rubbing my back and when he moved lower to my ass, his touch was about soothing me, not to initiate something sexual.

Sadly, the pain in my head was getting worse. I was now keeping my eyes closed to avoid the light. As long as I laid here and focused on Eric's hands, the pain was manageable. I knew Eric had no medication. I wondered if his blood would cure a migraine. I also wondered if it was normal to take a sip of his blood for every ache I had. I suppose it wasn't as weird or different than taking a pill.

"Flip over." Eric told me.

I rolled over and hated the movement. It made me very aware of the pain in my head. I held my eyes shut tightly. A bit of nausea ripped through me and I knew my ache had escalated to a migraine.

"Dina, don't move so fast if your body is still sore. It's hard when you aren't used to being bound. You are getting much better. Tonight was spectacular." I heard the pleasure in his voice. I thought about not correcting him about what was causing me pain. But then remembered what we had been going over. I wanted to just wait this out a bit, but it was my responsibility to tell Eric and let him decide how to handle it. Ugh. I didn't even want to speak at this point, but I had little choice.

"Eric…I'm getting a migraine." I let my eyes crack open just a tiny bit and regretted it, but I wanted to be looking into his eyes when I told him.

He stopped everything that he was doing, one hand poised in midair dripping oil all over my upper chest. "A what?" He didn't sound very concerned. Didn't he know what I was talking about?

The oil had started to run back through the bend where my neck meets my shoulders. It would be all over my hair now! "Eric!" I cried out through clenched teeth. "The oil!" I squeezed my eyes tight shut but the tension that caused in my forehead made a newer, stronger wave of pain roll through the back of my skull.

I moaned pitifully as nausea battered my stomach. I put one hand over my eyes and pressed my other palm to my stomach. Thankfully, the nausea passed without doing any more damage, so I put my hand over my eyes with the other one.

The oil stopped running immediately and I felt Eric's fingers on the back of my neck, probably trying to rub in the excess oil. "Dina, what is a migraine?" he asked again, sounding impatient.

"Keep doing that Eric, please!" I squeaked out in a tiny, tight voice. His fingers were soothing the pain somewhat. I sighed, wishing I didn't have to explain this. "It's a headache, honey. A very very bad headache. It makes my whole head feel like a boulder just fell on it, and my stomach pretends it wants to throw up. Most of the time it doesn't."

His fingers didn't stop, but the touch became more… not gentle… therapeutic. Somehow he'd been able to sense what I needed. I sighed in pleasure as his hands moved up to where the last bolt of pain had been and his fingers began to move in circles. His cool hands cradling my aching head were easing the pain, although it hadn't gone away.

"What has caused this?" He asked, all business now. "Is it because I wouldn't let you have more of the stimulant?"

Stimulant? I had to think back to what he meant, and it was an effort.

"What?" I whispered, momentarily baffled. Then I remembered. Pepsi. He had quizzed me about how much caffeine in it was too much. Great, now he would think that had caused my headache and take my caffeine away from me. I could say he would 'try to' take it away, but when Eric made a decision there was no changing his mind. He would have the last word. I had to convince him otherwise. "No, Eric, no..." I shook my head but immediately lamented that. I tried to find words in my sore brain to placate him.

"If anything, I didn't have enough!" I told him honestly. "The top and back of my head hurt super bad. My neck too. If I move it gets worse – I get like waves of pain!" I spoke slowly and it wasn't too bad. "And I feel like I have to throw up except I don't." At his look of confusion I went on. "Yeah, it always feels like that but I never do. Only if the migraine is really bad. And usually I have to lie in the dark to make it go away, so could you turn out the light? Please?"

The expression on his face was obvious. He was thinking. I could almost see the wheels turning in his mind. But he immediately did what I asked; before I could take another breath the overhead light was off and the lamp on his side of the bed was on. It had a dimmer and he'd turned it to low. Then his eyes rested on me and I saw nothing but care and concern. "May I lie next to you?" he said quietly. Somehow he had picked up on the fact that loud noises – and voices – were bad for me right now. I inclined my head once and hoped he would know that was a nod.

I cracked my eyes open again to look at him and managed a weak smile. It was weird to watch – he levitated himself up off the bed and moved so it looked like he was laying down on his side facing me. Then he lowered his body to the mattress, touching down so gently that I didn't feel any movement. His eyes, still gazing at me with that same expression of concern, glowed slightly like one of those long thin tubes of light that they sell at Fourth of July carnivals. He rolled carefully onto his stomach, propping himself up on his elbows to hover over me.

"Showoff!" I couldn't help but tease him quietly. He smirked and chuckled, shrugging his shoulders, but in a second his expression had sobered.

"It distresses me when you're ill, Love. How can we fix this? Will my blood heal you?" He brushed my temple with his lips in a feather-light kiss.

I really loved my Eric and his absolute confidence that his thousand-year-old blood would cure everything. I wasn't sure at all that Vampire blood would fix a migraine but I was willing to try. "I don't know, Eric," I whispered hoarsely. "I've never tried!"

"We will try now!" Eric stated emphatically, firmly taking charge like the Dominant he was. My heart skipped a beat and I felt a definite throb in my nether region. Eric heard and felt it too, and looked at me, amazed. "And we will take care of that later! Hold still!" he whispered. He leaned down then and kissed my lips gently but firmly with a proprietary air. Nobody had to tell me I belonged to him – we both felt it. I reveled in it! I gasped in surprise when I felt his fingers gently tracing my labia. Then he stroked his finger down the center of me, dipped his finger just barely inside, and circled round and round several times.

It felt good but not too good – not so good that it would worsen my headache. Eric stopped his swirling circles, pulled his finger out and made a single, smooth stroke across my clit. My breath came in short pants for a few seconds as my mind tried to process the feeling. He started to pull his hand away, and I tried to hold it there. Eric chuckled and kissed me again. "Later, Lover," he whispered. "I promise!" He smiled at me and the corners of his eyes crinkled in that special cute way that was only Eric. I brought the same hand that had tried to hold him back up to his face and stroked his cheek with my fingertips.

"Promise!" I demanded, weakly.

"Promise!" Eric repeated in his growling, sexy purr. I was satisfied with that. "Do you think you can sit up?" he asked, once again all business.

"I can try," I croaked. But then he looked at me as though he were trying to figure something out.

"Don't move, Lover!" he ordered me, and he knew I would comply. He did his floaty-thing to get out of the bed and I felt a breeze as he zipped off. About fifteen seconds later he was back with a glass of ice, a straw, and one of my vitamin waters. It was the açai-blueberry-pomegranate flavor, one of several that I liked. He picked up the bottle and looked at it suspiciously. "Does this have any of your… caffeine in it?"

I laughed lightly. "No"

He turned the bottle over and around in a matter of seconds, scanning everything with unnatural speed with his Vampire vision. "Did my restriction of the amount of caffeine you had tonight cause this?" He wanted to know.

Again, I answered truthfully. "I don't know. It might have been partially responsible but caffeine doesn't usually affect me this strongly."

"Would having more of it take the migraine away?" Eric was very intelligent, and even with his lack of knowledge about human diets he had asked the right questions. I reached up and squeezed his wrist; both of his hands were still occupied in turning the bottle around and around for a second look. His eyes moved to look into mine. I smiled at him and shook my head.

"Caffeine won't have an effect on it one way or the other now," I explained.

Seemingly satisfied, he poured the drink into the glass and set it on his night stand. Then he leaned back against the headboard and put his hands under my armpits. "Try to stay still, relaxed as much as you can," he said softly. "I'm going to lift you up and back against my chest." I reached back and found his knee with my hand, and squeezed it in acknowledgment. I straightened my arms at my sides just in time for Eric to begin to pull me firmly toward him. Before my head could bump into him and hurt worse, he lifted me and before I knew it I was leaning on him, my back to his chest, his hand on my forehead. "You don't seem to have a fever." he told me. "Are you ready for my blood?"

I was always ready for his blood. "Okay," I said as enthusiastically as I could feeling this lousy. Eric's arm slipped around my waist to hold me securely against him. He took his other hand away from my forehead and I cringed as I heard his fangs click into place and the sound of him biting into his own flesh. He brought it around in front of my face and I reached for it.

He helped me as I pulled it to my lips and my nostrils flared, taking in the marvelous scent that was Eric. I sighed contentedly as I leaned back against his chest, taking his bleeding wrist with me. His blood was so good! I mean, it was always delicious, but now it was like a gourmet meal! The texture, the temperature, and the taste were all perfect at that moment, exactly what I needed.

As I swallowed the first two mouthfuls, I felt my headache diminish slightly. It was already helping! All too soon the wound closed and he pulled his wrist away. I followed it with my tongue, trying to lick away the last smears of blood that were still on his arm. As he had done before, Eric put his hand on my forehead and pulled me gently back so that he could have his wrist back.

He chuckled. "Greedy, I love that! I always do!" His lips found the side of my neck and he inhaled as he smoothed his nose up and down. I thought he wanted to bite and rolled my head to the side, encouraging him. "No Lover, I will not take your blood now. Not while you are ill."

Once again his concern touched me. Mean, ruthless, bloodthirsty Eric Northman would not take my blood when I wasn't feeling well, even though I was freely offering it. I reached up with my arm and put it around his neck, then I turned my head to the side far enough to steal a kiss from him. He ended up stealing one from me as he took my breath away with his soft lips and masterful tongue. The headache was swiftly declining, and soon all that was left was the residual soreness that comes after every migraine. It was like the aftermath of Katrina. The storm was gone but things were still out of place, the residual work remaining for my body to do so that I would be 100% OK again.

I didn't even notice as Eric's arm slipped beneath my knees, picking me up so that he could pull back the covers on my side of the bed. Then he maneuvered me beneath the sheet and slid in on his side once I was situated. "How do you feel?" he asked.

"Better!" I said. "Thanks to you. Thank you Eric!" I gushed at him.

"No need to thank me for taking care of you," he stated firmly. "That's my job!" He smiled and kissed my temple. Surprisingly, it didn't hurt!

Suddenly I yawned. "Oh no, not again!" I complained. But sure enough, no sooner had I said that than my eyes closed and I was out like a light, feeling safe and secure in the arms of my Vampire.

Eric POV

I told Dina to rest and that I didn't mind. My blood and her body taking its natural rest would hopefully restore her to full health. She talked about migraines as though they were normal. I really needed access to her medical records. Dr Ludwig didn't want any that I had glamoured from a receptionist. She seemed to want me to do this in an above board manner. I was going to talk with Dina about formalizing our arrangement with a contract. We would, of course, legally transfer any property of her that needed documentation over to me. Personally I hoped she'd be okay with me having her car sold for scrap metal. I might try to explain that even selling it another human for use is irresponsible and unfair for the next driver who had to deal with it. Why, it might even kill them if it broke while they were driving! I had a feeling she'd know I was exaggerating a bit, but without a doubt that 'previously owned' (emphasis on previously) vehicle had a lot of miles on it.

I also wanted to outline some of the basics of our relationship. We could make a clean sweep of things and have her sign to transfer over her property (to me), medical records (to Dr Ludwig), and perhaps draw up some of those 'next of kin/power of attorney' papers in the far fetched event that she was taken to a human hospital with injuries. I would do what was necessary to get to her and see to her care, but doing it without causing a scene might be better. My blood worked better than any treatments a human could give her.

I put this to the back of my mind and went to call the doctor. I wanted to know about this stimulant and its effect on her. I grabbed my cell and found her in my contacts. Her menu was boring and I quickly pressed 0 to talk to her 24/7 nurse staff. I told them I needed the doctor and would pay the charge for the call. This motivated them to pass me along to her quickly. I waited patiently for her to greet me in her oh-so-professional manner.

"What is it now vampire?" I rolled my eyes at her usual irritated tone.

"Hello, doctor. I would like your expert opinion on …pop and caffeine. My human had a migraine tonight that may or may not because of the amount of this drink she's had." I waited for her reply and it was just as pleasant as her original greeting.

"Oh jezz…alright, I take it you have no idea what we're talking about. I don't know if your human gets migraines for other reasons – you still haven't provided me with her records! – but a lack of caffeine can cause a migraine in people with a dependency on it."

"Dependency?"

"Yes, dependency. Caffeine addiction is the most under-diagnosed addiction. Did you treat the migraine?"

"We have nothing here to treat a migraine, so I gave her my blood," I said to the doctor. "But tell me more about this dependency!" I would not have my Dina addicted to something harmful! I had seen the effects of drug addiction all too often in my club. Crack, V, meth, ecstasy, cocaine on occasion, and there were many more! It was funny that I'd never heard of caffeine! Was it so hardcore that only a few humans could handle it? I knew that Dina had trouble balancing school and work, one reason why I'd wanted her to live with me. I could take the financial pressure away so that she could concentrate on getting her degree. But she'd continued to drink her Pepsi drink even afterward.

"Where are you now?" Dr. Ludwig wanted to know.

"At home." I was relieved. The only reason Dr. Ludwig would ask where I was, was because she wanted to pay a visit.

"Meet me at your front door in thirty seconds." I was right. The doctor hung up before I could say anything else. I actually thought Pam might be able to teach her phone manners and I had already forbidden her from talking with clients due to her 'skills'.

I made my way past all the security doors and upstairs to the front door. She was just ringing the doorbell. "Thank you for coming, Doctor," I greeted her as I opened the door.

"You won't be thanking me when you get my bill," she responded, but then her face broke into a wide grin, which I returned. Dr. Ludwig had a great sense of humor when you caught her in the mood. Or maybe she was just happy to get so much money from me. "Now, where is the young lady? I quite liked her when I saw her before, even though you hovered overprotectively around her." She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"If she belonged to you, wouldn't you do that?" I asked her.

She chuckled. "Yes, with that little beauty I suppose I would. Now, where is she? Can I see her?"

"Of course. This way." I led her through the security doors which I had deliberately left unlocked. She would not see me enter any of my codes. She could apparate out of my lower quarters, but could not apparate in. It was a nice security feature I had to remember to add to the other house. We finally entered the bedroom, where I could see that Dina was shivering even though she had the covers over her.

"Turn up the heat Vampire! Humans need warmth!" the Doctor ordered me. I wanted to object to her tone but seeing my Dina shivering like that was too much. I simply complied, turning the heat up from 65° to 72°. I hoped this was enough.

I walked to Dina and gently shook her shoulder. She didn't respond. I sat next to her and rolled her onto her back. She was consistently hard to wake so I was used to this. I leaned down and kissed her lips. Then she woke up. "Dina, Love, Dr. Ludwig is here to see you."

Dina sat up in bed and the edge of the blanket fell from her chest. Her face turned bright red and she pulled it back up, holding it to cover herself. "I don't have anything on!" she said to me, softly, between clenched teeth. Louder, she said, "Doctor! Thanks for coming! I think Eric's overreacted though. The headache is pretty much gone."

"Mostly?" Dr. Ludwig inquired. "He gave you his blood, right?" Dina nodded. "It should be completely gone. Can you sit up on your own?" Dr. Ludwig asked. Dina nodded again. The doctor patted the foot of the bed and Dina looked at me with an expression that said 'do I have to?'

I reached for her then, firmly grasping your shoulders. "Come, Dina! No need to be shy here. We have both seen every inch of you." What I had intended as an encouragement had the opposite effect.

"Ugh! I'm fine. I just need to sleep this off!" She fell back on the bed, pulled up the blankets, rolled to her side, and then put the other pillow over her head.

So it was left to me to deal with her childish outburst. "Dina!" I growled. "Dr. Ludwig has come a long way in the middle of the night. You will let her examine you, now!" I hated having to use my rough Dominant's voice to get her to comply, but there was no other choice. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but stopped herself just in time. I gave very serious thought to turning her over my knee as soon as she felt better.

"Now, Dina!" I repeated when she still didn't move. She looked at me as if I'd betrayed her, then she slowly and carefully set her feet on the floor at the side of the bed. She almost fell when she stood up, and I caught her. I lifted her and placed her where Dr. Ludwig had indicated.

The doctor did the usual exam of looking in Dina's nose, mouth, and ears. She tested her reflexes, took her blood pressure, and listened to her heart and lungs. As she had done before, she asked my permission to draw blood. I consented, and she drew one vial while I watched carefully. She pulled out another tube from her bag and it had what looked like a mini circuit board inside of it, on the other side of the circuit board was an area of padding with several circles indented in it. She used another needle to fill the second tube from the first and set it down to wait for it to give her whatever she was looking for from it. Then, she opened the remaining vial as she had done the previous time, stuck her finger in it, and tasted it. This caused me to hiss menacingly at her. She calmly recapped the bottle and handed it to me. I took it back almost viciously, and slipped it in my pocket. Then she looked at the test she'd completed. I now saw that there were three circles. The first one had a yellow horizontal line. The second one had a blue + sign, and the third had a red vertical line. She put it in her bag.

"All of this is fine," she said, patting Dina reassuringly on the knee. Dina gaped at her and then looked at me questioningly when the doctor turned around to get something from her bag. "Here," she said, presenting two bottles of pills and a bottle of liquid to Dina, who immediately gave them to me. I kissed the top of her head. "Take two of the pink pills now, and one of the white ones," she ordered. I opened the bottles and gave Dina the three pills, and then went to the night stand for Dina's vitamin water.

"What are these for?" I asked.

The doctor sighed as though she was talking to an imbecile. "The white pill is to ease her pain and the other is an iron supplement. It's a high dose. That's why you're taking two now," she directed that comment at Dina, then turned her attention back to me. "The bottle is for her menstrual cycle, which if I'm not mistaken should begin today or tomorrow?" She smiled at Dina, who turned red again and nodded. "Those bottles have everfull charms on them. You should never run out."

"Thank you Doctor," I said again, sensing that there was a bigger picture than this that the doctor wanted to discuss with me, alone.

"The liquid should be taken three times a day. It will work for the cramping, the irritability and other PMS symptoms, the bloating, and the fatigue. It will keep you from getting anemic along with the iron pill, the pink one. You are to take two pink pills before your largest meal of the day, for the next seven days. After that, you can drop the dose to one each day. The white pain pills are on an as-needed basis but you should take no more than four daily. The spell on the bottle will alert me if you start over-indulging in those pills. They can give a human a very pleasant feeling for a while. Be careful. Okay?" She was speaking to Dina again but looked pointedly at me when she spoke of overindulging in the white pills.

"Thanks so much Doctor!" Dina enthused. "You don't know how tired I've been."

"Yes I do, sweetpea!" Dr. Ludwig said and winked at Dina. This was so out of character for her that I nearly fell on the floor from surprise. "Northman, a word?" I nodded and headed for the bedroom door. "Call me if you need anything." She patted Dina's knee again, gathered up her bag, and followed me out. We walked up the stairs and I pulled all the security doors shut this time.

When we reached the living room near the front door, she stopped and sat down.

"What do you need to tell me?" I asked nervously. I didn't want my Dina to be sick or to fade away on me. Humans has a terrible habit of dying.

"Her menstrual period. Are you planning to consume it?"

I was floored! This was a very personal question. "Yes," I answered emphatically. "Why do you ask?"

She pulled the little blood test back out of her bag. "You see the yellow line there?" I nodded. "That tells me she's got a chemical imbalance. When I tasted her blood, I could tell that she didn't have enough iron in her diet. See to it that she never forgets to take those iron supplements. She is going to lose iron when he bleeds already. You have to stay on top of her iron levels so she doesn't get sick. Now, I know how old you are and that you don't need much to keep you going." She meant the amount of blood I needed to stay alive and strong. I nodded. She continued. "Even with a heavy flow a woman's bleeding doesn't put out copious amounts of blood. It is safe for you to feed while she bleeds, every other day. I know you're spoiled now but you can handle that. You're a big boy." My fangs popped and I glared at her. She laughed, knowing I would not hurt her. "You don't have to hurt her by going to a surrogate for blood. I assume you know the way women are when they menstruate, especially if they are prone to migraines and other complications right beforehand." I nodded although I had no idea what she was talking about. I would hit the internet as soon as I had a free moment away from Dina.

"What do these other symbols mean?" I asked

"The red line indicates that she'll start her bleeding in less than five days," the doctor explained.

"And the blue +?"

"That one tests her blood sugar. I am looking for any symptoms the disease 'diabetes' in her or signs that she hasn't been eating healthy. The blue + sign tells us that her blood sugar is fine."

I nodded, happy to hear that she was healthy, but I had another question. "Why didn't my blood stop the headache?"

Dr. Ludwig nodded. "How bad was this headache? In terms of how much it hurt her?"

I considered the question carefully. Dina had told me that she was in extreme pain and I had felt great unhappiness in the bond. We had never sat down together and tested our bond to see exactly what we felt about distress in each other. Maybe we should. "She complained of extreme pain and nausea that she felt would not make her vomit. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut against the light and even seemed to have trouble with a very dim bedside lamp. Movement and noises were also hurtful for her. She felt very unhappy in our bond."

She nodded again. "What you describe is a very bad migraine, to put it in simple terms. How much blood did she have from you?"

"I don't know exactly," I replied, perplexed. "I bit my wrist and gave it to her. She consumed everything that came out until the wound closed."

"It appears that her iron levels were too low for her to feel completely well," the doctor said. "Your blood will not replenish iron that should be consumed and stored over time. Between her history of migraines, her iron, and her period coming, she took a bad wipe out. She probably would have gone to the ER if she was on her own." I knew that Merlotte didn't supply health insurance to his employees so Dina likely would not have gone to a hospital. I was again very glad that I'd brought her home to live with me.

At my look of shock she continued. "A migraine is a very serious thing in a human. It isn't like a regular headache. One of the known causes of migraines in women is hormonal changes. A woman has something called estrogen in her body. When a woman's menstrual period is imminent, they will have a major drop in the amount of estrogen in their bodies. You mentioned that she's had headaches like this before. Ask her if they have occurred before and during her period. I believe these things were the cause of tonight's migraine." She paused, looking at me closely as if trying to determine whether the information she gave me was being absorbed.

"If I understand you correctly, her migraine tonight was probably because this estrogen level in her blood dropped dramatically, she will bleed soon, and needs more iron?" I asked.

"Yes, I think so," Dr. Ludwig replied.

"So my blood won't be enough if she needs iron?"

"That is correct." She nodded for the third time.

"I will have to monitor her diet better. I hope I'm not taking too much blood from her. I'd like you to help me with this." I had come to a decision. "But you did not call me out of her room to discuss this. What else do you have to tell me?"

"Firstly to get you to correct the imbalances in her body. I believe that you are working with Leila Nasrin?"

It was my turn to nod.

"Give this prescription to her," I watched as a folded piece of paper materialized in her hand. "She will know what to give to your Dina." She smiled again as she handed me the prescription. I opened it. On it were written many symbols that looked like runes of some kind. Leila practiced witchcraft and I knew Dr. Ludwig had made witchcraft part of her medical practice. I wasn't going to doubt them.

"Why did you ask me about consuming Dina's menstrual discharge?" I was curious about this.

"The chemical imbalance in her body is bad for you," she explained. "But with your advanced age and great power you will not be physically affected. There is something that will definitely happen, though."

"Go on," I said warily, becoming suspicious now.

"As you consume what comes out of her body, you know it is more than just blood, right?" At my baffled look, she continued. "Each month her body produces an egg and the things that a newly fertilized egg would need as far as safety and nutrition in her body. If the egg and preparatory tissue are not fertilized, in other words if she does not become pregnant, the egg and preparatory tissue will be expelled during her menstrual period. Then her body will do the exact same thing – the cycle repeats every 28 days."

"Okay, but why do I need this information?"

"I'm just keeping you informed," the doctor chuckled. "But the part that is important for you to know is that when you consume her menstrual discharge, your bond with her will become stronger. This will affect your bond more than if you had exchanged blood several times. You may have dreams about her – yes dreams – instead of the opposite. This tissue she is expelling is very powerful for your bond and it will fill your body with her essence. It is literally some of her genetic material. I could almost describe it as you having part of her being in you."

I was flabbergasted and my mouth must have hung open, because she laughed. "You should see your face right now!"

"Are you joking with me?" I snapped, suddenly on the verge of anger. My fangs popped out again and I stood up, towering over the tiny woman. She stood up as well, announcing that she had to take her leave for another appointment.

"Consuming the menstrual blood will do you good!" she told me. "It will bring you closer than you ever thought possible!"

I stood there trying to figure out her words. Was our bond complete? Could it grow? Regrettably such things as vampire/human blood bonds were not a science. It varied by the couple. There was more to bonding with Dina than I could have ever realized that night when I'd practically forced her to drink my blood. I felt very tender and protective of her in that moment. Her own body was doing things to her that I wouldn't expect her worst enemy to do. How could I fight what I could not see? I was taken from these thoughts by a rather impatient little doctor.

"I really do want to leave sometime before next week, what is your concern about caffeine?"

"Yes, I'm concerned about Dina. She consumes it regularly and I believe…she might have a problem." I said softer. I couldn't fathom her being an addict. But sometimes people could be addicted without anyone knowing. I think they were called 'functional'.

She sighed.

"I'll be honest with you Mr. Northman, caffeine addiction is serious. It leads to aggression, increased stress, decreases the body's ability to absorb calcium… It's highly under-reported because its legal and the person is not only functional, but feels that they accomplish more with it."

"I won't see her put in some…hospital ward for addicted humans. I want her treated and cured at home."

"Vampire, there is no treatment and cure. She needs to wean off of it or… Let her stay on it, if it's not harming her. How many more years does she really have?"

And with that she popped out of the room and left me there fairly stunned.

What should have been a normal evening began with my Bonded shrieking at me since I accidentally fed while she was still asleep. Then I couldn't even take joy in my impending treat because apparently she can get ill before her bleeding occurs. And something else would happen with her while she bled, according to the doctor! So after worrying about her and feeling so helpless as even my blood couldn't aid her, I learned she might be an addict.

I had to deal with these issues one at a time. I figured the best course of action was to look up things about this 'caffeine.' I did a basic Google search and had a better understanding of the basic components of this stimulant and why humans liked it. What I still didn't understand was its effects.

Did it actually dehydrate her despite it being in liquid?

Would it make her lose weight or gain it? Conversely, would she gain or lose weight if she stopped taking this drug?

Would she be less stressed without it? Or more stressed if I took it away? And why would they call taking some away 'cold turkey'?

Each article seemed to contradict another one. Were these humans so stupid that they made a dangerous drug readily available and didn't even know what specific damage it did? Gods, I was lucky Dina was still alive!

I finally gave up and began to look up how to deal with addicts. I had found some better tactics to confront her. I was glad she had submitted to me – she could not leave the 'intervention' (that was what this type of situation was called) when she disliked it. I knew even as her Master I couldn't break her physical dependency with a command alone, but I could certainly keep her from 'relapsing' once we began to work on her 'recovery'. I didn't know if I would do a traditional 12 step model. If I did, I knew I'd replace the references to God with references about me. I would be her 'higher power', 'her strength', and I'd save her from herself. My Dina was not only an addict, she was in denial.

I finally pulled myself together. I couldn't confront her now. I needed to prepare my words and possibly gather some information and aid from people in our lives. Surely someone – at least one person – had to have noticed her addiction before I did.

I also didn't want to do anything while she had a period; it could wait. This was a time for her to rest, me to feast, and us to bond. The doctor had told me she was in no immediate danger, even if she continued to indulge in her stimulant.

We'd address her addiction later. In this moment, I knew I had to check on the health of my bonded and if I was lucky, we would get to spend some time partaking in our favorite activity.

I turned my attention to the bedroom downstairs and heard Dina's slow, steady heartbeat and the tiny snore she made when she was deeply asleep. I had time for one more thing. I did another Google search to find out what the doctor had meant by "how women get when they menstruate." What I found didn't please me in the least! There was something called "PMS;" Dr. Ludwig had mentioned it to Dina, as a matter of fact. A human woman could become vicious toward their husband or lover while it lasted, or she could do crazy things! I was directed to YouTube to watch a clip of a heavy woman named "Roseanne" screaming, overeating, and acting very badly toward everyone around her. Then she proceeded to be very sweet and loving, almost immediately afterward. This woman wasn't simply mercurial, she was bordering on insane and being emotionally unwell. This was all because her monthly! Gods, would my Dina get like that? What could I do to prevent it?

Another search turned up my best resource. There were medications, and the doctor had given her something. Beyond that, all I could do was be patient, caring, and try not to antagonize her. I had already planned to pamper her and bond with her while she bled. There were several things we needed to discuss as well. I would treat each night as it came and pull back on our training or discussions as needed. If I needed to simply hold her in my arms and watch movies, so be it. I wanted this time with her, and I wanted my treat! I listened to Dina become restless downstairs. I turned off the computer and went back down to be with her when she woke. I was still worried.

Dina POV

"How do you feel now, Dina? Did Dr. Ludwig's medication take effect?" Eric asked me, his voice gentle, his eyes full of concern. I had just awakened from yet another nap, this one induced by the medication the doctor had given me. But my head and body were completely pain free! "You haven't slept long, but you slept hard."

"I feel so much better Eric!" I smiled at him. "Thank you for calling the doc." Then I remembered what I had done. "Oh God!" I moaned burying my head in Eric's side. He was holding me curled up against him, my head on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry! I must've really embarrassed you!"

He lifted my chin with his fingers, looking deeply into my eyes with… amusement? The corners of his mouth turned upward and he chuckled. "Dr. Ludwig is quite taken with you, Lover." At my look of absolute disbelief, he held one hand up in the air. "Swear to the Gods!" he said, shaking his head. "She understood. You've had a hard time putting up with demands I am making on you, both physically and emotionally, plus you've got a problem with your… estrogen?" he quirked his head to the side looking for confirmation. My Eric, my Vampire Sheriff, was talking to me about estrogen? This was one for the record books! At my nod, he continued. "Your estrogen dropped low and combined with a few other problems it gave you the headache. You also badly need iron and my blood doesn't have any, so my blood didn't completely heal you. But don't worry!" He straightened his shoulders. "I will take care of everything, although…" His eyes became serious and his voice changed to the one I would never disobey. "If you pull a stunt like that again, I will take you over my knee and you will feel the sting of my paddle!" He stared me down until I lowered my eyes.

"Yes Eric," I said softly, showing him my remorse. I did really feel bad.

"This time I am treating you gently because of all of the things you are coming to terms with – this new life and the demands I've made, your impending bleeding, your health and the imbalances in your body, and the migraine. You have taken on much and, except for that one incident, I am proud of you."

I stared at him with what must have looked like shock because he pulled me up on his chest – which was becoming one of his favorite things to do – and pulled my face down for a kiss. As he kissed me, making my body turn into boneless jelly, he flipped us over so that he was on top. Even if he wasn't mad at me, I could feel a certain part of him insistently moving against my hip, that was obviously feeling a bit neglected. He smiled at me warmly.

"I'm fine Eric!" I tried to convince him. "There's nothing to take care of!"

He raised his head and looked me square in the eye as though he was trying to figure something out. He was silent for a moment and started to make me squirm uncomfortably. Before I could ask him what he was thinking about, he started kissing me again. "I won't let anything happen to you!" he whispered in between kisses. Honestly, I wasn't paying much attention to his words. I was engrossed in the other thing his lips were doing (besides talking).

I reached for his cock and found that I could only grasp the head. That was all I needed. I thoroughly wet my fingers and palm with the precum leaking from the tip and began to massage the head with a firm touch, just the way he liked it. He didn't like to be treated like he might break, and I knew he wouldn't. My fingers and palm worked him and he hissed and moaned, all the while pumping his hips forward and back. Finally he put a staying hand on mine and turned his head back to me. He was so beautiful! His eyes glowed softly and held a sense of wildness, danger in them. His fangs were fully extended, his eyes narrowing as he looked at me like he wanted to devour me. He did, in a way. I reached up to cut my tongue on one of his fangs, drawing a tiny bit of blood that I left on his lips as I kissed him lightly. It was natural for me to part my legs for him, and he settled comfortably between them. He kissed me with a fevered, blood-induced passion as both of our hands guided him to my entrance. He raised his head, that soft glow still in his eyes, but this time an expression of gentle affection. He slid smoothly into me and I arched my back. For some reason I was extra sensitive. Eric put his hands under my back and held me to him, finally moving his hands up to cup my shoulders from behind and pull my breasts to him. He wasted no time in licking, suckling, biting, and arousing them to hard little peaks. His teeth bit them softly, giving me a mix of pleasure-pain that he knew I loved. I moaned and couldn't get close enough to him, wrapping my arms around his biceps and throwing my head back. He came forward slowly and licked the salty skin of my throat, a low growl finally emanating from deep in his chest. His hips got down to business then, and he slid slowly out of me, and just as slowly back in, going extra deep in a firm but gentle stroke. His fangs scraped my throat and his tongue followed where he had drawn the blood.

"Yes, Eric," I moaned breathlessly. "I'm yours Eric!" I felt his lips smile against my throat where he was kissing me, and then, just as his lower half was pushing deeply into me again, his fangs gently pierced my skin. I cried out, the exquisite feeling of his lips and tongue taking the blood he drew from me driving me wild. Another pleasure pain sensation, as the sharp pain of his bite sent tendrils of fire directly to my center. I moaned and bucked against him, meeting him thrust for thrust in this slow, ancient dance.

After only a few pulls of my blood he withdrew his fangs and healed me, always caring for me. He lay me gently back on the bed and moved his arms out from underneath me, now supporting himself on his elbows. His movements never stopped making slow, gentle love to me as he kissed me, biting his own tongue so that we shared blood. With our kiss we took in all the blood and then his hands moved to either side of my head, staring into my eyes and commanding my gaze. I could not look away. I moaned and writhed beneath him, crying out with the exquisite feelings moving back and forth in our bond. It was intense, the bond, sharing each other's sexual pleasure and making us practically one. His thrusts began to get harder, and longer, and deeper. I could feel his excitement building as well as my own. We found a rhythm with our hips as our eyes held each other. The muscles in my pelvis tightened as I squeezed and released him inside of me. He growled every time I squeezed him anew but it was always followed by a sigh and a moan. The tension built and built between us and for once we were silent. No Eric ordering me not to cum without his permission. He only held my face and my eyes, and all at once the building pressure inside of us burst! His head raised and he said something in another language while I screamed out his name, "Eriiiiiiiiiiic!" over and over. Together our worlds exploded into a cacophony of light and sound, which only too late I realized was the hammering of my heart. Eric's gaze came back to mine, and this time he wore a smile, a triumphant smile that said he knew that only he could make me feel that way.

_But Eric, I have a secret too. I know that only I can make you feel that way._

Our worlds were one as he moved gently now, only thrusting to help the aftershocks that continued to hold us enthralled for I-don't-know-how-long.

"My Dina," he finally whispered, taking my lips in a passionate kiss.

"I love you!" I responded. The bond told me what he didn't say.

Sometime later we sat in bed together, me between his outstretched, long, long legs, and him with his arms around my waist. We had turned on the TV and were watching a movie. Every once in a while Eric became fascinated with my breasts and played with my nipples. He would roll them between his fingers and squeeze, enjoying the fact that I pushed my breasts into his hands whenever he touched them. He flicked them with his fingernails, wet his fingertips and gently rotated them around the hard part of my nipples making me sigh with pleasure. Every once in a while he would move his hands south and slip his long fingers inside to arouse my g-spot, which he had found almost immediately when our relationship became intimate. I couldn't tell you how many orgasms I had sitting there with Eric. He was relentless in his determination to pleasure me. I felt the most impatient and needy part of him rubbing against my ass and lower back, so I scooted as close to him as I could get to make it easier for him to feel his pleasure. I had the feeling I'd be spending some time on my knees before he would let me go to sleep.

Sure enough, just as that thought went through my head, Eric reached over to his night stand and pulled out those beautiful, soft little cuffs that I'd worn the last time he'd tied me to the bed. It was the same night I'd told him how much I hated his metal handcuffs. I put my hands behind my back for him and, instead of putting the cuffs on, he had a question.

"You know I don't have to, but because you were ill earlier tonight, I'm going to ask if you feel up to doing this." He held my wrists behind me but didn't do anything with them.

"Eric?" I tried to turn around to see his face but he stubbornly held my wrists and kept me from rotating my body. "I'm confused."

He continued to hold on to my wrists and kissed my neck tenderly. "Don't get used to this," he whispered in my ear. "It probably won't happen again. Now, will you, or won't you?"

My jaw probably bounced off the bed covers. I was shocked, and amazed at his level of caring for me. Asking for what he wanted instead of taking it? "Ummm," I said softly. "Let me just make sure we are both talking about the same 'this.'" Then I got embarrassed and my face turned red, but I managed to say it. "You want to tie my hands behind my back so I can give you a blow job. Is that right?"

"Well, yes!" He said it a little harshly, defensively. But honestly I felt absolutely fine. There were no lingering cluster headaches or bouts of nausea. I would have to thank the doctor for that stuff. I was sure that Eric must be paying an exorbitant amount of money to her for house calls and prescriptions with everfull charms on them.

I leaned back and let my head fall back onto his shoulder; this time he allowed my movements although he continued to hold my wrists. No words were needed to tell me that this was still HIS game and he would decide what did or didn't happen. I turned my head and kissed his neck, then I licked it, and I nuzzled him. "Can I bite you Eric?" I asked suddenly.

"Bite me?" he sounded aroused. "Where?" he whispered deviously into my ear, nipping at my earlobe with his teeth.

"Right here!" I told him mischievously, and I licked his neck. In answer, he leaned his head away to give me the access I wanted. I smiled, kissed his neck again, and then set out to make the biggest hickey I could. I knew it would only last a few minutes at the most; a few seconds was more likely. As I bit and sucked and licked and bit and sucked some more, I did manage to make a pretty nice spot that didn't go away in five seconds. Eric, who had been silent throughout the whole hickey-making process, raised his head and looked into my eyes. There he was again, my Vampire. His fangs were fully extended, his eyes glowed with a soft bluish light, and his eyelids were half closed.

"Lover, you can feel free to bite me any time!" he said in his deep, husky sexy voice. He snapped his fangs at me. "Now, as to the other matter…" He hadn't let go of my wrists the entire time I'd been working on his hickey. And I had to admit, I wanted him. I wanted to taste him, to feel him in my throat, to swallow his seed. I loved the power I had over him even though I was the one bound and on my knees.

"Yes Eric!" I tried to use my sexiest voice and hoped I didn't sound ridiculous. He gave a smile that looked like joy and proceeded to lock my wrists into the soft cuffs. But he wasn't finished there. He pulled out some of the blue rope and proceeded to wrap it around my arms up to my elbows, which he pulled together firmly. He added another rope to the soft cuffs, pulling it around my waist and tying it firmly. When all was said and done, I could not move my arms except to sway them back and forth a little bit.

"Lover, stop it!" Eric ordered in his Master voice, putting his hands on my elbows and holding them still. "What did I tell you about fighting your bindings?"

"I wasn't fighting them, Eric! I was testing to see how far I could move is all!" Now it was my turn to be defensive.

"'Testing them' and 'fighting them' are the same to me, Lover," he said, but he didn't sound displeased any more. He began to rub my shoulders, my neck, my back, my upper arms. It felt good and I kind of melted into him. He turned me around, so that I was kneeling on the bed, to face him, so I did the only thing I could do. I leaned forward to kiss him He growled at me again and began to maneuver me to the edge of the bed. He put his feet on the floor and threw a pillow down between his feet, then he stood me on my feet and lowered me gently to my knees. I forgot to keep my legs apart, but he reminded me by nudging them a little bit with his feet. He held on to me until I was fully balanced and displayed to his satisfaction.

I took a moment to admire him. Eric was truly a marvelous specimen of a man. I could feel his pride and pleasure as I appreciated his finer male attributes. I hesitated for a moment. He was sitting there, giving me no direction. Not with his hands or verbally. It was still a bit awkward not having use of my hands, but I admit it was helping me focus more on my mouth – my tongue and deep-throating (okay taking in more of him, but no where near true deep-throating) skills. I considered how to begin and came up with an idea.

"May I?" I inclined my head toward his erection and hoped I sounded submissive and sexy, instead of silly and stupid.

For the first time since he lowered me down, I received a physical response. He smiled and at the surprise (and hopefully thrill) of my words and his hips bucked forward ever so slightly.

He reached out and ran his hand over my hair. "You may." I leaned into his hand, enjoying the touch that told me how cherished I was.

I leaned forward and began with my tongue. I didn't kiss him. I wanted to 'dive right in' so to speak. He didn't seem to mind. I sucked his head and listened to him moan. Then I decided to surprise him and took in a few inches very fast and then went back to his head. I threw in a few of these quick grabs and got a response almost every time.

I noticed he was giving me almost total control and gripping the bedcovers, instead of my hair. I began to wonder if it was because of me being sick or because I was getting my period. The concept of Eric spoiling me, instead of dominating and training me was very interesting. I wanted to see where this was going to go.

It was time to stop playing with him. He was being so good to me; I wanted him to feel good. I tried to never have a technique. I knew any man, especially Eric, would tire of the same old song and dance routine. I had learned what Eric liked and tried my best to give it to him. I pressed my tongue against his frenulum and worked to lick him each time he slid out of my mouth. I loved his taste and even if his length was still too much for my mouth, I appreciated getting to worship every inch I could. I didn't try to take too much in and overexert myself. Once again Eric didn't object or seek to guide me. I was still pleasing him and he was quite noisy about that fact. Soon, I felt the tremors in his body that came before his orgasm. I readied myself to swallow every drop and caught his eye. Eric loved to stare into my eyes when he came in my mouth.

His hands didn't make contact with me until I finished swallowing. He sat back and enjoyed the aftershocks while playing with my hair.

"So Good, Dina," He whispered. I smiled and got lost in the peacefulness I felt. It was nice to no longer have a throbbing, crippling pain in my head. I even closed my eyes and leaned on him while his fingers began to massage circles on my scalp.

What pulled me from my thoughts was the sound of Eric's fangs clicking into place. I looked up and he stared down at me, almost waiting for me to answer a question that hadn't been posed. His eyes had suddenly turned wild, feral, predatory.

"What?" I said confused.

"I smell blood," he practically snarled at me. He was in full Vampire mode.

"You smell…" I stopped. I was wet. But of course I was! I always got wet when I went down on Eric. I wiggled my hips and felt a drop slid down my leg. "Shit."

Ready or not, here we go. Eric pulled me by the shoulders up on to the bed before I could think of anything else.


	27. Red

Dina POV

After Eric hauled me up on the bed he set me down on to my back, where the ropes began to viciously pull at my arms. "Eric!" I cried out, and tried to sit up, but he put his hand on the far side of my shoulder, leaning over me facing away, and pressed me back down. He started to slide his hand between my legs but I clamped them shut, resisting him. He gripped my thigh with his big hand and looked over his shoulder at me, eyes narrowed in a warning look. His eyes glowed with a tinge of red; it was frightening! I felt his lust for my own blood through the bond and licked my lips before I could stop myself. Then he tried to pry my legs apart with his hand. I struggled and cried out, "Eric, stop!" He growled at me. Then I remembered what he'd said to me, how to stop him if something was wrong. He was so overcome by the smell of the blood that I hoped I could get through to him. "Yellow!" I yelled at him. "Yellow, Eric! Yellow!" He froze. I heard him take two deep breaths, I guessed to calm himself. A full minute went by and nothing happened as the tension grew. I was afraid to move. Then he looked at me again and his eyes were clear of the red haze.

"Dina, Lover," he said softly. "What is wrong?" The muscles in his jaw were tight. In fact, every muscle in his body was tightly controlled. I could feel the red lust at the back of my mind, struggling to return, and I knew it was his emotions I was feeling. The grip on my thigh had turned to a caress.

"The… The ropes, Eric! They hurt me. It feels like you're trying to tear my arms off!" I stared at him desperately.

He acted immediately. He turned and slid his hand behind me, between my back and my elbows, and pulled me against him. The relief was immediate. I sighed gratefully and inclined my head against his shoulder. With his other hand he cradled my head, rocking us for a few seconds.

"I am sorry, Lover. Forgive me, I was overcome," he said contritely, kissing the top of my head.

"It's OK Eric. I know you'll fix it." I snuggled closer to him, enjoying the close contact. He leaned forward, reaching toward his night stand, and I panicked, thinking he was going to lay me back down. I whimpered and started to struggle, trying to stay close to him. He sensed my panic and put his other arm back around me.

"I won't drop you, little one! Don't worry!" he said reassuringly. I peeked up at him through my lashes, still breathing hard from my panic. His arms tightened around me. "Now hold still," he said, using his Dominant voice. I immediately relaxed. The more he used that tone with me, the more it came to signify his intent to always care for me completely. He leaned forward again, opened the drawer of his nightstand, and pulled out a switchblade, which he flipped open. I cringed at the sight of the knife. "Be still!" he said again, softer but with the same authority. "I mean it! This is very sharp!" I forced myself to remain still while he slid the knife in between my wrists and in one sweep slit the ropes all the way to my elbows. I sighed in relief at being able to move my arms again. Eric took a moment to rub them with both of his hands. "I didn't cut you," he reassured me.

"I knew you wouldn't," I assured him as he let go of me and turned me around properly to face away from him. The rope was still tied around my waist but it hadn't been attached to the cuffs that I still wore. In his hurry to free me, next Eric started to twist and bend the chain between the cuffs with his strong hands, presumably to break it. I pulled away. "No! Eric!" He looked at me warningly; my Vampire did not like to be told 'no.' I thought it would be best to modify my tone; I didn't want to anger him. "Please don't break them!" I asked him in a softer voice, my head down.

"Why shouldn't I?" he demanded in a rough voice.

My whole body turned red, all the way to my toes. I was going to have to answer him, to make an admission… "I like them," I squeaked out, embarrassed.

"What do you like?" he shot right back at me. The stress he held on the chain was starting to feel uncomfortable and I fidgeted. His grasp didn't change.

Why did he have to ask? I hesitated, unsure what to say, until he reminded me with a tug that he was still waiting for an answer. I sighed. "They are so pretty, and soft! They hold me tighter than the metal ones do and there's no way I could ever get out of them." I swallowed nervously. "And… The metal ones hurt. If you ruin these will you have to use those again?" The chain between the cuffs was the only metal part, the cuffs themselves being made of comfy but strong materials. The other handcuffs he had used before were police issue, steel, and very uncomfortable when pulled or strained.

He didn't answer but I felt him let go. He closed the knife and tossed it at his nightstand, where of course it landed perfectly. He put his fingers on the clasps, one at a time, and each popped open. He moved them away but then he grabbed my arms, just above the elbows, holding them behind me and pulling me closer to him. "Another day we will find out exactly how much you do like them," he told me, his voice full of promise, or more like threat. I shivered but what I felt was more anticipation than fear. Eric knew what I felt and he chuckled villainously.

Before I could do or say anything, he turned me around and pressed me back into the pillows. He pushed my thighs apart and began licking the wetness from my thighs, quite enjoying himself by the sounds he was making. I wasn't a fan of this, not really, but he was so excited now that I was actually bleeding "for him" that I wasn't going to spoil his fun. The sensation of his tongue against my skin was nice, to my surprise. I thought it could make great foreplay. I was surprised that there already seemed to be enough to keep him occupied.

Once he had cleaned me externally, I felt his fingers part my folds and wondered if I would climax while he enjoyed his "treat." He began to lick and nibble, and then move his fingers around to get better access, and it felt good. Really good. He licked me clean once again, his tongue making the rounds inside my lower lips. Then his tongue ventured to my clit unexpectedly and it was like a firecracker had gone off! I gasped at the strong pleasurable sensation that was so sudden and my hips automatically bucked, trying for more contact. Eric got the point and sucked my little nub into his mouth and began to alternately torment it with his teeth and soothe it with his tongue. He moved his arm onto my abdomen to hold me down and keep me still. I writhed beneath him and cried out his name with wild abandon, my head thrashing back and forth while my hands fisted in the pillowcases. Eric moaned and hummed against me, adding vibration to the already exciting feelings he was causing. He kept it up nonstop until my world exploded in a strong burst of ecstasy and light! I clawed at his arm, willing him to let me move, but he held me there under his control. His tongue began making broad strokes over my sensitive clit as the orgasm roared through my body, until I became oversensitive and started trying to move away from him. He chuckled again, darkly, sucking it strongly in between his teeth and biting. Another orgasm ripped through me, leaving me breathless and weak. I sank into the pillows, completely spent.

As I finally relaxed, Eric took that as his cue to continue what he had started. He slid his tongue inside of me and I felt it going round and round. My hips tried to buck against him again but he still held them fast. I could feel his tongue moving in and out, and then he began to nibble and gently suck to coax what he wanted from within. He did that for a few minutes and then stopped, lifting his head to look at me. He had a little bit of blood on his chin and I held my hand out to him. "Eric, let me get that off your face," I coaxed him.

He shook his head. "Where is it?" I pointed to my own face approximately where it was on his, and his impossibly long tongue swept out and got it. I grinned at him appreciatively, having been on the receiving end of what that fantastic tongue could do. He smiled too, and to my relief his mouth and teeth were clean. I didn't mind my regular blood, but this blood grossed me out.

"You got it!" I congratulated him, and he laughed.

"I need to ask a favor of you, My Lover," he said, caressing my hip with the hand that wasn't busy holding me still. He looked a little sheepish and I was curious.

"Okay, what?" I was surprised that he was asking. With our relationship the way it was, all he had to do was tell me what to do. But the asking was nice.

"There is some of me left inside of you," he said, pausing. For a minute I didn't understand what he meant and stared at him, confused. Then it came back to me in a rush – we'd just had sex a little while ago, and he came inside of me.

"Oh, OK now I understand what you mean. And?" I left my question hanging in the air, waiting for his explanation.

"My fluids contaminate your pureness," he told me. "It ruins the taste." He must have thought I would understand what he wanted because he stopped there and stared at me with a question in his eyes.

"What do you need from me Honey?" I asked him softly, reaching to touch his hand. He covered my hand with his.

"Will you go and shower? And use the handheld to clean my mess from inside you?" Eric was so charming, and cute didn't even begin to describe the hopeful look on his face. I knew he was hungry and impatient to have what he'd been waiting for. "If I had known, I would have pleased you in other ways so I didn't have to ask this of you." He put his chin on the arm that covered my abdomen, then took my free hand and kissed it, waiting for me to respond.

Now, I really could have gotten mad. I could have felt insulted thinking he was saying I wasn't clean. But I knew that wasn't what he meant. He wanted the taste of me, not the taste of himself. When you were with a Vampire, you had to learn to think a little bit differently. I smiled at him and rolled my eyes. "You crack me up, Eric!" I told him, and his brows wrinkled. I could tell he didn't understand what I meant so I let him off the hook. "Of course I will… Let me up?"

Instead of letting me up he attacked me, grabbing me and pulling me up for a big hug. He kissed my cheeks, neck, forehead, hair, and nose, remembering when I'd told him I didn't want to kiss him when he'd been having _that_ blood. His grin was huge and infectious. As he sat, then stood, with his arms tight around me, we both laughed.

"Thank you, Lover!" he exclaimed, kissing me all over my face again.

"But you owe me!" I teased him, reaching up to point my finger at his chest.

"Whatever my lady desires, she shall have!" he said gallantly, stepping away but keeping my hand in his, and bowing with a flourish. I laughed again. Eric was just adorable when he was playful, and once again I couldn't help but think how glad I was that I didn't have to share this side of him with anyone except maybe Pam. He kissed my hand again and then let go so I could go in and shower.

I made sure that I got a dark colored towel from the linen closet and started the shower. Before I got in, I had a thought. I didn't want to wash with anything perfumed, because Eric would also taste that. "Eric!" I called out to him, stepping back into the doorway. I was surprised at what I saw. The bed linens were all on the floor and he was putting what looked like a plastic cover on the mattress. I watched in amazement as he did this single-handedly, flipping the mattress around like it weighed nothing as he got the corners placed into the cover. This only took him a few seconds, and as soon as he had zipped the cover and put the mattress back in place he zipped to me at Vamp speed to see what I wanted.

"My lady calls?" he said playfully.

I giggled, almost forgetting what I had been going to ask him. "Oh! Right! Do you have any ivory soap, or dove maybe?" Those were two brands that I knew were mild and weren't full of perfume.

"I'm not sure. Let's look!" He opened a cupboard door above the linen closet, one that I had never explored because I couldn't reach it. Then he lifted me up so I could look for what I wanted. "Do you see anything?" he asked.

The little closet was well stocked! It had all kinds of soaps, body washes, bubble baths, oils, shampoos, conditioners, and hair treatments. I wanted to explore more in detail but I did find some honeysuckle body wash that I moved to the front. It was one of my favorites and I was surprised Eric had anything like it. On the left side, almost to the back, I found a big bottle of ivory liquid body wash. "Bingo!" I shouted, gathering it and the honeysuckle scented stuff into my arms. "You can let me down Eric!" He did and I showed him what I had found. He took the ivory first, opened it, smelled it, then shrugged his shoulders and handed it back to me. Then he did the same thing with the honeysuckle, but smiled and nodded approvingly. "Will you let me look up there another time?"

"Yes, I bought all of that stuff for you anyway," he replied. At my inquiring look, he went on. "I wasn't sure what you liked so I just got one of everything." Then he smiled and shrugged again. I smiled back and hugged him.

"Thanks Honey," I said softly, getting on to my tippytoes to kiss his chin. He put his arms around me and squeezed both butt cheeks, then kissed the top of my head and went back to finish his work. As I watched, he added a red fitted sheet to the bed, again flipping the mattress around like a toy. Red, great! I wasn't a fan of red but he was. I bet he was enjoying the fact that I couldn't complain about the color because it "matched" what my body was leaking at the moment. But I couldn't believe his ability to coordinate the corners of the sheet with the direction he flipped the mattress. He was amazing! Finally I decided to get in the shower.

I finished as quickly as I could, using only the ivory between my legs as I carefully washed everything and turned the handheld on its strongest setting so that it would squirt up inside of me. I could feel that it got pretty deep; it was an interesting sensation. I held it there for a while, hoping it would wash away most if not all of what was keeping Eric from enjoying what he consumed. I lathered up heavily with the honeysuckle soap on the rest of my body since Eric had seemed to like it, and made short work of washing and conditioning my hair.

When I stepped out, there stood Eric holding my towel for me. He wrapped it around me and began to rub vigorously, letting it warm me in the sudden temperature drop from the shower to the bathroom. When I stopped shivering, he grabbed another towel and wrapped up my hair. Then he took a lot of care to dry every bit of me right down to in between my toes. He got out another red towel, folded it, and laid it on the countertop between the sinks, then he lifted me up to sit on it, leaning me back against the mirror.

"Wh…?" He silenced me with a finger on my lips.

"Stay here," he said simply, and left the room. When he came back, he had small, black plastic box. Eric's boxes always made me nervous. I never knew what he would pull out of them. I cringed inwardly as he opened it, but it contained only a portable trimmer. "Do you mind if I trim you up a bit?" he asked, rubbing his fingers through the curls between my legs.

"Are you kidding? I would LOVE that!" I responded enthusiastically. Eric smiled and kissed my forehead. He had several attachments in the case, each one for trimming the hair to a certain length. He chose the one that said "1/4 inch" on it and attached it to the trimmer, which he then plugged into an outlet.

"Ready?" he asked. I nodded with a big smile. He spread my thighs wide, started the trimmer, and with his Vampire speed and coordination it only took a couple minutes before he was finished. There was a huge pile of hair on the towel!

"I wish you would let me do that more often!" I told him, trying not to sound complaining or demanding. "And shaving my legs too!" I told him, looking down at the counter. It was still a huge deal to me that he wouldn't let me shave and I tried not to feel the upset so much as I spoke to him. It made me feel unpretty. But since we were bonded he knew right away.

Eric hated to see me sad and he had to feel the emotions churning inside of me. He lifted my chin with his finger. "I have ignored your feelings about this and it seems I have been unfair," he said softly. "Let's do this. I will allow the trimming on the condition that I be the one to do it. Okay?" My eyes widened and I nodded.

"That sounds great Eric! Thank you!" Eric lifted me down from the counter, balled up the towel with the hair inside it, and then shook it over the trash can before depositing it in the clothes hamper.

"And the shaving – IF it happens, I will also be the one to do it." This was kind of scary sounding to me but I was willing to agree to anything if he'd let me have smooth legs and underarms. I nodded again, slowly. "We won't do it now, but I will shave you where you want me to and see how I feel about the way it looks. I truly find you to be perfect this way. I cannot make any further promises."

But what he did promise warmed me from the inside out, especially when he produced a fluffy dark blue bathrobe that I'd never seen before, wrapped me up in it, and carried me to the bed. I jumped into his lap and rained kisses all over his face. "I love you so much! Thank you Eric! Thank you, thank you!"

"Don't thank me just yet! I still might not like it!" he said, but he was smiling indulgently at me as he caressed my cheekbones with his fingers. I hugged him tightly around the waist and snuggled into his chest, very happy with my Vampire at that moment.

The colors weren't quite as bad as I'd thought they would be. The bedspread had a geometric design that had several shades of red plus black and white. The same design, in smaller scale, was on half of the pillowcases, while the other half were all red. We had eight pillows on the bed, all king-sized and of different firmness. Eric sprayed a leave-in conditioner that I also hadn't seen before into my hair and combed it out, then French-braided it for me. I was so comfortable and content basking in his care that I was practically purring!

But then pampering time was over and I could see the predatory glow come back into his eyes. I'd had a reprieve when he didn't like the taste of himself along with me, but now there was no more delay. Eric wanted his treat, and he wanted it now! He tossed the towel from my hair in the general direction of the hamper and his hands were rough on my body as he peeled the robe off of my shoulders. He had already arranged the pillows in a high pile so that when he pushed me back against them I was still nearly sitting up. As he did this he held my face in his hand and moved close to kiss me. I started to back away until I smelled the mint on his breath.

"Did you…" I asked him, reaching out to caress his fang with my forefinger. He liked it when I touched his fangs, and he shivered.

He knew what I meant. "In the kitchen so I wouldn't make your water cold." The bathroom had its own industrial-sized hot water tank so the hot water ran out very rarely. We could both take a shower and then run a bath, and there would be enough water.

I smiled and moved forward, accepting his kisses. Vampires didn't have to brush their teeth but Eric did on occasion, generally for me. He knew I liked his minty-fresh taste when he did. He never had bad breath nor did he ever taste bad, but it was a sweet gesture when he brushed. Eric was like that, always doing little things for me to show that he did care and paid attention to what I liked and didn't like.

He started out with soft kisses which morphed into full, long, and deep kisses. After that his tongue became more and more demanding as his kisses turned hard and dominating. That was when he held both of my hands at my sides and began kissing his way down my body. He trailed kisses and nibbles down my neck and collarbone, then pulled a nipple into his mouth and rolled his tongue around it, laved his tongue across it, nibbled and bit at random. I laid my head back and sighed with pleasure. Then he kissed his way across to the other breast where he did the same thing. He wouldn't let go of my hands to let me touch him, and I struggled. He'd told me more than once that he liked when I struggled and would tell me when he didn't. I pushed my chest at him and he nibbled and licked his way across the undersides of both breasts before he began kissing and nipping at my ribs, making me squirm. He moved back and forth across my body a few times, kissing, nibbling, scratching and drawing blood, until I was in a frenzy of need. But he still wouldn't let my hands go. He moved in for the kill on my belly button, which he knew was very sensitive and ticklish. After tormenting me there with his tongue and fangs, he moved back up to my mouth and began kissing me deeply again.

"This is the last time I get to kiss you for a while so I better make it good!" he breathed into my mouth between kisses. My lips were swollen and my body felt like jell-o, but he wasn't done yet. He started with my chin and licked and nibbled a straight line back down to my belly button, where he tormented me some more. Then he made his way to my sensitive hipbones, one at a time, nibbling and scratching there in between kisses. Finally he began kissing his way south.

Right before he was about to dive in, he looked up at me with a very fangy smile. Now I was struggling with some socio-cultural issues surrounding my vampire earning his red wings. And part of me was anticipating the orgasm I always had when Eric's mouth was on me. But his fangs actually startled me. They were protruding more than usual- or I noticed them more. Suddenly I realized those sharp things were about to be right up in my vagina. Eric had bit me once or twice there before and it was painful. My worry wasn't about an intentional bite, as much as an accidental puncture. How could he…"eat" without slicing me? Did he always have them fully extended when he went down on me?

"Honey….just be careful, okay?"

"Careful? Dina, I don't always go down on you as often as you do me, but I know what I'm doing."

"I know. Just…I don't want an accidental puncture. Your fangs seem very large right about now." And right about now they were inches from my most sensitive area.

If Eric could blush, I think he would have. "I'm a little excited right now. Trust me; I've had them for many years. I won't bite you by accident."

He ducked his head before I could reply. Why did he have to add the 'by accident' part?

I hadn't moved. I didn't know if my body could after coming like that. Eric rested his head on my thigh. Every now and again he'd lean down and lick my slit thoroughly. I'd moan at the sensation and try to not be grossed out by the fact that he was indeed eating.

"So…are we really just going to lay here and do this until this is over?" I asked.

"Don't say it like that. I don't want it to be over." He moved his head back between my legs and pushed his tongue inside of me.

"Ohh…" God, it was hard to think when he was doing this. And giving me no time to recuperate. My hands fisted in his hair. I started to grind up toward his face. I was glad he didn't breathe…

He stopped before I came. I guess there wasn't enough blood to keep him there. Darn. I relaxed my body and tried to not be so hyper-sexualized. All I could think about was how good Eric made my body feel. We had to do more than just have him go down on me for a week straight. I didn't think I could physically take it.

"Can I ask what you and Pam talked about?" my curiosity was bugging me.

He paused for a moment. "We did discuss you for a brief time. I think you made a good impression on her. I informed her that she can not disrupt your feeding habits. She is still working on our home. And… she would like to spend more time with us and rest here."

It was almost as if Eric thought I'd be mad or unhappy with it. I valued my privacy – namely in my home – but I wouldn't be bothered by Pam. It made me feel really happy to know Eric cared so much about how I felt in our home. I also assumed he didn't want animosity between Pam and I. it could make his life be quite hard, despite his power as Maker and Master.

"Of course. We have to be very sensitive of Pam right now."

"We do?" he asked surprised.

"Eric, she probably feels a little…bad and insecure. I know you love her and would never want to remove her from your life. But having another woman so close to you, might make her feel a little hurt and unsure of herself. Whatever she is feeling, we should give her time to work it out and help her if we can."

Eric actually looked befuddled.

"Pamela is a warrior," Eric insisted. "She does not need help to sort out her feelings." Even as he stated this adamantly, he still looked unsure.

I rolled my eyes. "She's a woman, Eric. And you are like her _everything_. She loves you more than she loves anything, even her own life!" How could he not see this? Eric was a sensitive man despite his reputation for cruelty and violence. I knew I could make him understand. "When you made her, you made a commitment to her, Eric. An eternal commitment. I'm human. She will be here long after I'm gone. We need to welcome her into our home at the very least."

He looked at me for a moment with an expression I couldn't decipher. He'd clamped down on the bond and I couldn't feel anything from him. "You wish to share me with Pam?" he asked, slowly.

I didn't really but Pam was his child. They hadn't been sexual for decades according to Eric. "The relationship between us is different than the relationship between you two," I explained. "If you were human and Pam was your daughter I would love and accept her into our lives. This is different I admit – I'm not a Vampire and so I can't fully understand. But what I do know is that I feel her in the bond with us sometimes. She is part of you and so she's part of me too. Isn't that right?"

"Yes." He deadpanned, not giving away any of his feelings.

"Well, so far…" I paused. Eric and I made an agreement on this and I knew I had to stick to it. That didn't make it easy. "You have done so well no not shoving it in my face or letting girls at your club upset me….But if you are more open with Pam and your …activities with her, I won't be upset. I know it's different with her."

Eric straightened his spine and looked at me intently. He moved to lean over me. We were eye to eye. I didn't even have time to be pleased he had finally moved away from between my legs. I saw the dominant man and Vampire come out before he spoke. "Then my decision is this, and you will do as I say," his voice was quiet and full of authority. This was the voice that brought out all of my submissive feelings. I felt myself melt into his eyes as he continued in a serious voice. "Pam will spend time with us, most especially with you. She will sleep in our bed with us when she feels the need, or when I demand it. You will welcome her and work on friendship. You will not endanger your health – like by not eating – or allow her to make you feel uncomfortable in your home. Pam will cooperate and tolerate your human habits while she works on being your friend. If my orders are not followed I will dole out punishment. Is that clear?"

When Eric made a decision, he really made a decision. He didn't have to threaten me with punishment. I liked Pam. I wanted her around. I was sure we could handle my food thing. I wondered too if he'd punish Pam if she became 'uncooperative'. I had full faith we could handle it. The only thing I worried about was the brief flirtation that had happened between us. Eric must not know. He would be furious. His eyes changed and he looked at me sharply for a moment, holding my eyes. I was scared. What had I given away? He moved forward smoothly, stalking me like the predator he was.

I didn't move. He dropped his body onto mine. He pushed one arm under my shoulders and held me close and the other came up to encircle my throat. He squeezed lightly. I relaxed immediately and looked into his eyes. Eric continued to hold me. "You are mine," he whispered into my ear, his hand now stroking my throat but still holding on.

"Yes Eric!" I whispered to him, my voice heavy with emotion. Love, trust, and fear mixed together in my chest, making butterflies in my stomach. What had caused him to make this sudden declaration? But I knew, with every essence of my being, that he was right.

He slowly relaxed and began to move our bodies. We tangled our legs, our arms, our fingers. We were blending into one another. My fingers in his hair. The tips of his stroking my face, throat, and shoulders. My tongue licked his fangs and he bared his mouth wide. I had learned how sensitive they were. I didn't mind one bit when they grazed my lips as he kissed me.

Eric POV

Kissing her and feeling her give herself over to me without fear was amazing. Fangbangers often believed they were fearless – but you couldn't be fearless and ignorant. Dina knew full well my strength, what my fangs did, what they could do, and she only ran her tongue over their sharp points and pressed her body harder against mine. This time would truly be sweet for both of us; Time to renew and enjoy one another.

My plan was to not let either woman know if or how much I knew about their little flirtation today. I was not going to direct them. Not only would their relationship blossom naturally – however it ended up – but I would enjoy watching them squirm. They believed that I didn't know! How they could rationalize that was beyond me. They knew I felt them both, and they, or at least Pam, knew that I had the entire house wired for video. It was nearly impossible for either of them to hide anything from me. The "nearly" was what would keep them thinking I was ignorant. This would be quite amusing if I played my cards right. Of course, I couldn't punish them overly if anything sexual occurred. I was facilitating a situation where it could happen and giving no instructions for them to follow. Neither of them was used to me doing this.

To say I was unhappy with my bonded being so sure she wouldn't live much longer, would be a tremendous understatement. A part of me felt rage. This wasn't surprising. I didn't like the thought of anything tearing her away from me – including her humanity. I also felt some genuine fear. She was so fragile! My blood could only ward off so much sickness and disease. She was kept safe in our home, but the memory of her near death experiences was very fresh in my mind. All it took was one slip up on my part. Hell, even my allowing her to be in a car could lead to her death. As a vampire, I would almost always heal from injuries. I could even regrow my limbs, as a painful as the process was. Everything about her was temporary.

I truly couldn't understand why she didn't want to stay with me for eternity. Keep her body in prime shape and gain the speed and strength of an immortal. I knew she simply wouldn't understand the great intensity that was being Vampire until it happened, but surely she knew that what I was, was incredible?

She felt so good against me, so warm, but these thoughts removed sex completely from my mind. I felt agitated all of a sudden, like something was missing or wrong and I couldn't put a finger on what it was. But I knew what it was. I needed to know why. Was it because she was afraid of what she would do if she became a Vampire? Did she think she would become evil? Or was it something else? Could she not stand the thought of being by my side throughout eternity? Did she hope for the end of her life so that she could get away from me? I knew I had caused her to fear me and planned to remedy that situation very soon, but was she somehow hoping to escape our life together? The possibility of her rejection stung far more than I wanted to acknowledge.

She must have sensed my withdrawal. My physical body was unchanged, my cock still hard and eager for her welcoming warmth. But she knew my mind had wandered. "Eric?" she queried, her voice sounding worried and a little bit fearful. "What is it? Did I do something wrong?" The ever-present bond between us told me that I'd somehow hurt her.

I tried to reassure. "No Love, you didn't. There's something in my head. It's nothing to worry about." I closed off the bond on my side and hoped she would accept my evasion.

Of course, she didn't. "What is it? What can I do to help?" She didn't believe me. She still thought it was her. In a way it was, but the thoughts and insecurities about her were mine. We were still wrapped around each other and I was in no hurry to move, but she began to struggle and pull away from me. Reluctantly, I allowed it, but I didn't let her go far.

As she piled pillows to make a comfortable place to recline, I sat up next to her and pulled one of her legs over into my lap, stroking her thigh and the back of her knee. She turned toward me and shared her pillows with me, holding on to my arm and sliding her other leg into my lap next to the one I still held. I put my arm around her and kissed the top of her head.

We sat that way for a few moments, the silence stretching between us. I could feel her building curiosity though, and though her body was relaxed in my embrace, inside she was nervous and a bit fearful. I thought she was worried about me. It wasn't typical for someone to do that.

I couldn't stop thinking about the reasons she might have for not wanting to become a Vampire and stay with me forever. I didn't let her feel my growing agitation. The thought that she might hope to someday be away from me drove me crazy! Even by her death, that was unacceptable! I would not allow it! She would never leave my side!

She had given me everything, including her love. I would have all of it. I would use any means necessary to bind her to me forever! Then suddenly I had a thought. I hadn't felt the need to formalize our relationship, believing that things would progress naturally and ultimately work out favorably. But I was wrong. I had botched things badly. She feared me. She didn't trust me the way I needed her to trust me. We needed to restart, set up our expectations for each other in black and white. And yes, I was aware that she had expectations for me that I might not even know about. I knew what needed to be done.

Even with her safe words, I assumed we wouldn't need them. I hoped she would just trust me and we'd grow together pushing until we found our limits. One day I still hoped she would cast aside her safe words and know I would never harm her. I knew that she had to get to that place on her own and I couldn't push her there before she was ready.

"Dina, Dear One, I haven't handled things right between us from the beginning. I demanded this relationship from you but gave you no guidelines to follow. I failed to set up my own expectations or ask you what yours were. I haven't allowed you to set goals for yourself in your training because I haven't told you what it's leading up to. I believe we need to start over, in a way. Have you ever considered writing a contract between us to lay out these issues?"

What I didn't say was that when, not if, we wrote a contract between us, it would be legally binding. I would insist on including a clause stating that she would not be allowed to leave the relationship without great penalties. I would make sure that she could never leave me. I was certain I could convince her to be turned willingly….and if I couldn't, I would have time to make it up to her.

"So this contact would outline our goals? What's expected of me?"

"Myself as well," I ran my finger over her cheek. "I have obligations to you. It would be a document outlining out relationship and our goals. We can discuss some limits and what will happen if those expectations are not met."

"So punishment and….give me one second to think this over."

"Take your time." I was happy she was thinking about this and seemed relieved at the idea of having things on paper. I gently probed our budding bond. It was getting easier to read her. I needed to test our bond soon. I wanted to see if it was growing and if we could both tune ourselves in with it. I was glad I could close it off; truly thankful. I needed some privacy. This relationship was new to both of us and could be overwhelming.

I began to worry a bit when she stayed quiet, but fidgeted in my arms. "Lover?"

"Ok….so if I make these commitments – and don't get me wrong, I know you are committing here too – what if something goes wrong?" She looked at me with some sadness in her eyes. I thought I knew where she was going with this. I wanted her forever. I thought if I tried to calm her insecurities she would be fearful of my plans for her; for us.

"What if we grow apart? Or start to fight? You never know. But I know…I have nothing. I live with you. I don't work. I'm out of school. … if we broke up, I have nowhere to go and nothing to go to."

I pulled her close. I wouldn't be hurt by her self-preservation instinct. I wouldn't be bothered by her wariness and insecurities. She was right to have them. "If such time comes that we can no longer live together harmoniously," I knew I would never allow this but I would give her the security she needed, "I will make provisions for you. You will never do without, nor will you worry about money or security ever again. Even if things do not work out as I hope." She relaxed visibly and smiled weakly at me, knowing I didn't like to talk about that subject.

"Besides," I continued, "we are sending you back to school soon, if that is what you want."

Her smile was infectious, and I grinned back at her. "You know that's what I want Eric!"

"That's why we need this contract," I explained. "It will make clear what your training will entail, and we can set goals to complete things in a timely manner."

"But that isn't all that goes on it, right?" she asked, her forehead wrinkling with worry and confusion. "I'll know what I can get punished for, won't I? And you said you have obligations to me too. What are they?"

There it was again. She had to bring up punishment first. Why was she so centered on that? I was going to find out, but first I would answer her question about my obligations.

"This isn't just about you turning your life over to me so I can tell you what to do, Dina," I told her gently. "It is a big responsibility for me to take this on. I have always taken care of myself quite well but now I'm taking care of you too. At the very least, I am obligated to feed you, clothe you," she giggled when I said this and looked at me mockingly.

I stopped and grinned back, knowing why she laughed. Most of the time I didn't give her much to wear at all, and that I usually removed from her body shortly after I rose. My cock jumped to attention. She saw that and licked her lips, still grinning at me. It was nearly impossible for me to resist that open invitation, but when she reached down and put her hands on me I pried them off, with some difficulty.

I laughed. "Dina, be serious! We are talking here!" As she continued to giggle I leaned in and kissed her, hard. I forced her lips apart and my tongue entered her mouth, mastering her, making her think of nothing but my kiss, forcing her into submission. I held both of her wrists pinned against my chest as my other arm formed a steel band around her body. As much as I desired her, I was in no mood for game-playing and this talk was long overdue.

At first her tongue battled with mine, her responses meant to entice me. She tried to press her breasts against me and wiggled in my lap but I forced her to still. Gradually her struggles began to subside, her body softening, melting into my embrace. Her fists unclenched, she stopped wiggling, and she followed my lead in our kiss. I forced her head back against the pillows, my lips hard and unrelenting. Finally she stilled, no longer resisting, her full submission complete. As I released her lips she sighed.

"How do you do that Eric?" she smiled softly, peeking up at me through her lashes.

I chuckled. "Do what?" I knew perfectly well what she was referring to.

"Turn me into goo just by kissing me." She rubbed her cheek against my shoulder.

I shot her a wicked grin full of fang and waggled my eyebrows. "A true master never reveals his secrets!" She broke into a fit of giggles at that, and I laughed with her. I wasn't so full of myself that I really felt like I had mastered everything in the world. But then I sobered. "Seriously, Lover, we need to have this conversation."

It was difficult for her to calm her laughter, but eventually she did. "I know." She sighed. "I guess I forgot to tell you that when I get my period I'm way more horny than normal, right?"

I gave her a pointed look. "I will take care of you as much and as often as you need, but we will not spend 24/7 having sex because you are… horny." I disliked the word personally, but she used it a lot.

"Well if not 24/7…what about right now?" She batted her eyelashes in a way that was meant to be playful, innocent, and flirty all at the same time. She was insatiable. But since I had asked for her to be always available and told her I would fuck her every day, I should indulge her. I could see that she wasn't going to give up.

"I do not want my own fluids to pollute my favorite meal. If I do fuck you, I'll have to cum elsewhere." I stopped to think. I understood her wanting me inside of her – it was certainly one of my most favorite places to be. But I didn't want anything tainting her blood. I decided to clue her in on my line of thinking. "I could finish in your mouth…-" I trailed off, half wrapped up imagining standing above her while and thrusting into her mouth right before I climaxed and considering the other alternative : me cumming on her body. But I was interrupted.

"I don't want blood in my mouth." She blurted out. I snapped my head and glared at her. She quickly realized her mistake but it was too late. I reached out and took her face in my hand, pinching her cheeks near her lips. It was nearly the same way I reprimanded her on her first night after she submitted to me. She moaned in pain and surprise

"What?" I asked, making myself sound menacing. I loosened my hold and let her answer.

"I-I don't want to, but I will if you tell me to; if you want me to." She looked at me pleading for me to accept amendment of her original statement and not inflict further punishment.

I nodded. "Good save. Or perhaps I'll simply cum on you. It would be very pleasing to see my seed on your body." I gave her a fangy smile. My cock was throbbing at the thought of marking her in such a way.

I didn't let my smile reach my eyes. My feelings for her might lead me to indulge her most of the time, but I could not allow her to believe that she could overrule me in any way. I grasped the hair at the nape of her neck tightly, knowing that it was painful for her because of the tiny tears that sprang suddenly to her eyes. "The decision is mine!" I reminded her in harsh tones as I dragged her beneath me and pushed myself forcibly inside of her all the way to my balls.

I was not prepared for the onslaught of sexual pleasure that burst forth in that one thrust! She was always wet for me, always warm, even hot. But this was like nothing I had felt before! With her blood as our lubricant, it was as though a flame had been lit within her! The unrestricted silky smoothness of her inner walls caressed me with fevered tenderness like nothing else could, and I was almost undone in that one simple movement! Unable to hold on to my anger any longer, I moaned sensually and spoke her name, "Dina, by the gods!" My voice shook and I stilled, suddenly speechless, at the force of her eyes conveying back the exact same feelings. If I had ever before felt anything so exquisite in my millennium on earth, I couldn't remember it in that moment.

Then I began to move, slowly at first, so as not to waste this, our first precious mating while her body flowed freely of the stuff that gave me life. To think I had been about to toss it away with a punishing pace and angry grasp on her beautiful body! My grip softened in her hair and my thumb caressed her cheekbone, her eyes, her temples where her tears were still drying. I held her gaze, trying to convey my apology for my selfishness and my gratitude for her presence in my life. She reached for me, her palms caressing my biceps, and then her face contorted into a mask of sweet ecstasy as she nearly climaxed from our first movements together. It always amazed me, how well-suited our bodies were for this activity together despite our great height difference, but I wasn't complaining! I set a measured pace, thrusting hard, but not so hard that this would be over too soon. I would draw this out.

The heady, musky scents of blood and sex filled the air, and my vampiric traits began to make themselves known. My fangs felt double their usual length, tingling and throbbing with a need of their own. I held her just that much tighter, pressed her into the bed just that much harder for my instincts to possess and dominate to have their way. I needed everything from her, right now! She was mine and I would have her know it! "Dina!" My voice had become much rougher, growling now. "I need.." I stopped, unsure how to articulate what I wanted. But somehow she knew. In the very limited space and movement that I allowed her, ignoring my growls and fang-snapping, she managed to brush her hair away from her neck just as I grabbed her wrist and pinned it to the bed. Then she turned her head to the side, giving me just enough room to bite. Her collar got in the way, and I ripped it away with my teeth. That was it. We were getting a new one, something thinner! Free of the obstruction, I struck hard, feeling just as much as I heard her gasp beneath me.

I pulled at her blood almost desperately for a few seconds until I regained full control of myself. Then I remembered what the doctor had said – not to take too much from her during this time. I slowed my pace, stopped, and sealed the wound. But then another feeling overwhelmed me. She refused to take me in her mouth covered in her monthly blood. She had no such qualms about the rest of her blood and I would not allow her to refuse me! I didn't even bother to lick my lips before I leaned in and possessed her mouth fully. My tongue invaded her, hard and predatory, just as my cock moved inside of her now, almost daring her to refuse me. She didn't even try, kissing me back with passionate abandon, making soft and hungry little whimpers in the back of her throat as though she couldn't get enough of me. I was very much the dominant male at that moment, overwhelming all of her senses and ensuring that she thought of and felt nothing but me.

Suddenly she lost control and bit me as he body's release overtook her, and she drew my blood. This awakened something in her and as she thrashed and moaned desperately, riding out her climax, she took my tongue deep into her and held it there until my wounds sealed and I bled no more. I growled at her with pleasure and approval as our eyes opened and we stared at each other, our bodies still entwined as one. Holding her gaze, I quickened my pace and quickly drew another orgasm from her, then a third before I felt myself beginning to lose control. This was the part I least looked forward to – the part where I had to pull myself from her slick hot cunt and coat her skin with my seed. I would much prefer to finish in her mouth but she had given me some of the greatest pleasure of my existence in just the past few minutes. I would respect her limits – this time. As my climax burst forth I pulled out reluctantly, then held myself above her as my seed fell on her soft belly and breasts. I stroked myself until I was spent, and then rested with my knees between her thighs and my hands on either side of her throat. We stared at each other needing no words for what we had just shared. Her hands went absently to her body where my wet seed lay, and she touched it gently, settling her palms into it and smiling at me, making no move to clean or remove it in any way.

A bit of a shine caught my eye and I noticed a thick ribbon of my pink seed glistening just below her right nipple and starting to move down toward her ribcage. It had caught the light from the side lamp. I scooped it up with two fingers and held it out to her, my eyes demanding. She knew exactly what I wanted from her. She lifted her head and stuck out her tongue to receive my fingers, and when I thrust them deeply inside she licked them clean, humming as she did so. When I took my fingers back from her, she softly grasped them with her own and kissed them.

For all her refusal to take my bloodied member into her mouth, she had not disappointed me. Only one thing was left to remedy, and my eyes were drawn to it, softening only slightly and resting atop her stomach, wet and covered in her blood and a bit of my own seed. She still gazed into my eyes, and so I placed my hand on her chest and moved it slowly upward. When I reached her throat with my hand I encircled it softly, but with enough pressure to get her attention looking downward. I felt a slight wave of fear in her then, as though she thought I might still somehow force it on her. "There still remains one thing to do, Lover, or had you forgotten?" I raised my eyebrows slightly, keeping my voice and expression neutral. She reached out and touched me then, her soft touch making me hard instantly.

"Yes, Eric?" she said this with some hesitation that I understood.

"You are going to clean me," I stated simply, and she nodded, her apprehension growing behind her eyes. "I will not force you to do what you fear." She relaxed visibly. "But I expect you to do it in a way that pleases me. If you don't, the next time we will do it my way. Understand?"

She gasped and swallowed, and I could see that the thought sickened her. I knew it wasn't the thought of having me in her mouth; she'd done that lots of times. It was her menstrual blood. I simply didn't understand. Her blood gave me life. It was precious to me. All of it. How she could kiss me and accept the blood that flowed from her veins into her mouth, but then felt that this blood was somehow tainted or dirty, was beyond me. They tasted slightly different but I enjoyed consumption of both.

She thought about it a minute and then seemed to think of something. "Can I get up for a minute Eric?" I tilted my head to the side and nodded, curious now to see what she would do. As she rose, she leaned close to me and kissed the spot where my neck becomes the front of my chest. I reached out to affectionately tug her wildly sexy, messy hair in return, smiling at her. She smiled back brightly, seeming less nervous. As she slipped past me and headed for the washroom, I heard her open several drawers and doors, rummage around in the drawer where I often discarded things temporarily until I could properly put them away, and finally run the water for a long time. By the time she returned to me, I was more than curious!

She took my hand and pulled me up until she could make a nice pile of pillows for me to recline on, and then she knelt between my legs, smiling shyly at me. First she picked up a tightly wrapped towel, which seemed to be wrapped around another towel, which turned out to be wrapped around another one. She touched that towel to my hand. "Is that too hot or too cold?" she asked. I smiled and shook my head. To my surprise, she unrolled that towel very quickly, picked up my now soft dick, and gently rolled the towel back around it. She had put something very soft inside of the towel, and this in effect sheathed me in warm wetness, not quite like being inside of her, but very pleasant indeed! I stiffened noticeably while she worked the towel and whatever was inside of it gently up and down. She had brought out another warm towel for my balls and scrotum, and by the time she was finished, I'd just had a complete steam bath!

"What's in here?" I asked, when she finally took away the hot towels and replaced them with dry ones that she had obviously put into the dryer. I hadn't noticed that but it was a very nice touch! I opened it to find one of her favorite little silk camisoles, wet and now covered in her blood. It was black and would not stain, but I looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"I needed something soft," she explained. "I didn't want to ruin any of your silk boxers."

"Never worry about ruining clothing, Lover!" I reprimanded her gently. "We have plenty of money for as much clothing as we will ever need. Which, in your case, isn't much!" I waggled my eyebrows at her. It was kind of a running joke between us.

The warm towel that she had used to thoroughly dry me and keep me warm had started to cool so I picked it up to inspect her "work." I was clean as clean could be and she had pleased me greatly. There was no reason to punish her, but I hadn't wanted to anyway. The whole exercise hadn't been about punishment. It was more about compromise, and teaching her that I could be reasoned with. There was no need to fear me.

"Thank you Dear One," I told her wholeheartedly. She really had taken good care of me, pampered and spoiled me when this was the week for me to be doing that to her! I wanted to get between her thighs a little bit more before we retired, so I started to pull her with me to lie back on the pillows. She resisted. "What is it?" I asked, a little bit impatiently.

She blushed. Hmmmm. Now I was very intrigued and interested in hearing what she would say next. There was one other thing she'd brought into the room from the washroom that I hadn't seen yet, and she produced it now. It was the pair of soft cuffs that I put on her wrists when she knelt to give me a BJ.

I had to give her a little bit of a hard time. I made myself sound sarcastic. "So let me get this straight. You didn't want me in your mouth before, but you do now that I'm all clean?" It actually was an amazing gesture, one that I had every intention of accepting!

But she looked stricken, and pulled the cuffs back, and tried to back away from me. "Never mind. I'm sorry." I could see that I'd hurt her. It was my turn to apologize.

"Wait, Dina!" I wrapped my arms around her waist. "That was shitty of me. I was only trying to tease you, not hurt your feelings. Don't run away, and definitely don't apologize!" She stopped resisting me and I pulled her close. I raised her chin with my fingers so that she would look at me. Her eyes were filled with confusion. "This is what I'm talking about. You get scared of me when you aren't sure if you've done something wrong. You haven't done anything wrong here. In fact, you did everything right. I am the luckiest Vampire in the world right now! You make me very happy. Forgive me?"

Her stiff posture relaxed and she started to smile. She put her arms around me and laid her head on my shoulder. I yanked her into the bed with me and laid us back together, just stroking her back and relaxing her. If she didn't want to now, I wouldn't push the issue. I'd been the Dom already tonight. Right now I'd just be her man and accept whatever she was willing to give.

We lay there for about ten minutes and I thought she was falling asleep, but then she lifted her head and smiled shyly at me again, handing me the cuffs. I smiled warmly. She was trying to be kind to me and make up for little transgression. I couldn't ask for more.

I surprised her by pulling her hands in front of her and cuffing them. I laid back and looked at her. She was so gorgeous to me in this moment. "I wouldn't mind feeling your hands, as well as your mouth tonight, Lover."

She smiled and lifted both hands. I knew her movements must have felt awkward, but she quickly got used to moving with her hands being kept no more than 4 inches apart. Her nails traced patterns on my chest. She led them down and moved away from me once she neared my erection, not wanting any of the metal between her wrists to touch me.

She looked me in the eye before lowering her head. I let out a tiny growl and felt my gums ache. My fangs were throbbing to bite; to bite her again!

I felt her hands right after her tongue made contact with my tip. She began to massage my balls as she twirled her tongue around me. Her pace was torturously slow. She took more of me in and never stopped with her hands.

"Dina.."

After a few minutes, my control began to wear and I bucked my hips. She did something that shocked me. Instead of beginning to suck me deep and hard, she took her mouth off me. She spat in her hands and grasped my cock. Her mouth went to my sac. She sucked me in a way I couldn't remember her doing before, while her hands stroked my cock. It was...amazing.

The louder I got, the more effort she put into pleasing me. I was happy to encourage her. I was pretty sure I would climax from this hand/mouth reversal. She must have known I was close before she changed gears once more and devoured much of my erection. I felt my tip hit the back of her throat. Her hands lightly cupped my balls. The tips of her fingers moved in slow circles. She sucked hard, pursed her lips and started to bob her head.

I couldn't have held back if I wanted to. My hands fisted in her hair as I came. Her eyes looked up at mine as she swallowed. Not only had I just cum twice, but I could smell the blood from between her thighs. I would be sure to pleasure her as I enjoyed my treat.

I couldn't remember having a better night in centuries.


	28. Bonded

Sorry for the wait! Life is unfortunatly kicking both mine and my coauthor's butts. ShadoKat is sick and is running into issues while she tries to get better. My mother is still at home on temp disability. I have some minor health things going on and am still finding it hard to balance family responsibilty, work, and an actual life of my own.

we really appreciate all the reviews and any comments (good or bad) left for the story. it keeps us going on the bad days and gives us an extra boost on the good ones.

we already started the next chapter.

* * *

I woke up the next afternoon feeling pretty good. I disentangled myself from the resting Vampire beside me and went to the bathroom. I grabbed a tampon. I admit it was hard getting used to this 'blood is natural' thing that Eric was so into, but a few times last night I completely ignored the fact that I was bleeding on the bed, that he was drinking the blood as it came out, and that I was menstruating with no products. I found a note from Eric on the fridge. He asked me to find some videos on the laptop. Since I was 'bleeding' – yes he had to point that out in his note – he wasn't going to give me any real assignments so I could work on this at my leisure and he didn't mind if I didn't finish.

Which of course meant, he wanted it done and was just being nice because he was getting a 'treat'. So I knew I'd finish before sunset.

I got some food and grabbed the computer. He wanted a video that made me sad, but I didn't have to watch it now. He just wanted it in the queue. He wanted one that made me happy, angry, and if I found some more videos that brought out distinct feelings I should mark those as well.

I wasn't sure what he was getting at here, but I did as he asked. It took me a few hours as I searched and trimmed the results. It was enjoyable to watch a few funny videos and old things I hadn't seen in a while. I thought I could get used to being pampered like this once a month.

I kept enjoying my video hunt and being lazy. I ate the majority of the candy in the house. And some ice cream. Maybe I would take Eric up on this caring for me thing – my teeth felt better since taking his blood, but there was still some damage there that was probably too far gone for just Vampire blood to heal. Or maybe he could rub his blood on bad teeth. I was willing to try that or go to the dentist. Ice cream was too good to hurt you when you ate it.

It was getting close to sunset. I waited as long as I could. It wasn't fun to lie next to him waiting for him to wake up. I was too impatient. I ran to the bathroom, saw to my human needs, and got rid of the tampon. Eric wanted me 'available'. I was not going to be bothered by any connotations in that statement. Nope, not bothered at all.

I was cozy beside my Vampire when his eyes shot open. He wasted no time pushing me on my back and kissing my lips, my chin, my throat….What happened to those videos I spent the day getting?

"Eric, you can't be hungry. You've ate a lot recently. You wanted me to get those videos together for you."

"Later – I'm famished." He kept sliding down my body, using his knee to part my legs more.

"Come on! You know how it goes…work, then play. Your …treat will be there later."

"Lover, I would normally agree with you, but I need something to nourish me first. Then we will get to those videos. I promise to keep us on task – after I am sated of my appetites. No man, human or Vampire, can function when they are starved."

Oh my god. Eric was turning into a drama queen. I had it on good authority – his – that a few sips (less than a pint) of blood a week would be fine for a century old Vampire with no wounds or health problems. Yet, here was my 1000 year old baby trying to reason his way into a meal he didn't need. I gave up and let him 'have his treat'. I enjoyed my orgasms.

He eventually moved away from between my legs to cuddle with me.

"Alright, now that I am more able to focus. I want us to test the bond. It is growing and I want to see its limitations."

"When will it be…done growing?" I liked our bond – or at least I had nothing against it and wanted to keep Eric and I close any way I could. But I didn't understand this Vampire stuff to save my life.

"I'm not sure. Bonds are not an exact science. Vampires are secretive creatures. We don't do experiments on our nature or spend time investigating how things work – we certainly don't want to leave a paper trail of our secrets. We know what a bond is. We know what it does. We know how to start one. But how long it takes to mature to its full potential? No one has any idea. Some Vampires exchange blood dozens of times with a human and have weak bonds until one day, a full bond just ….occurs. Others share blood only a few times and have strong, full bonds. Sharing blood at the same time helps greatly, this we know. Age might play some role, but there is no consensus on this theory. So…we have to keep exchanging and see where it goes. How does the bond seem to you?"

I didn't like this question. I barely understood this Vampire stuff and now I had to explain how I felt about it. I was going to sound like an idiot, I was sure.

"Well, sometimes…I feel you. Once in a while it's clear. It's not me, it's you. Your presence, your feelings. Other times something rushes over me and I wonder where it came from – I usually realize it was your feelings and not my own. But it's hard to tell at first. Does that make sense?"

"Yes. It's hard to distinguish. I feel as though I'm getting better at our bond and how it works. Is it getting easier for you?"

"Yes and no. I felt you very clearly right after I had your blood the first time. It was only once, but it was there and crystal clear. Then it was murky even though we exchanged more. It's…it really must not be a science. I think I've felt you better the past few days overall."

Eric was quiet for a moment. I knew he was thinking about what I had said. I tried to 'feel' him with our bond. I think I picked up on regret – but had no idea what it could be from or if I was correct. Before I could ask him what he was thinking and feeling, he spoke.

"We will have to work through this together. I wish there was an authority on the issue we could seek out, but I can't think of anyone. I want you to go into the other room and watch each of the videos you picked out today- one by one. Don't tell me what video it is and keep your headphones on. I'm going to try and figure out what you are feeling from the bond alone."

I realized why I gathered those videos. It was a disappointment to know he wouldn't be watching them. I didn't have to be so meticulous if this was just for me. I did pick quite a few though.

"I made a pretty long list of videos….do you want to do them all?"

"No – Lets do the first three and then we can talk. Maybe we will do more, but three that deal with at least three different emotions should give us a good foundation to work with. I just want you to watch them. I'll be upstairs trying to determine what you are feeling. We will talk when I come back down. Give me a minute to get up stairs and sit down. Are you ready?"

"Yep."

Eric POV

I sent my bonded into the living area of our lair and went up stairs. I wanted to ensure I wouldn't hear part of the video or hear her make a verbal response, even a laugh, and know what she was feeling from that and not the bond. I made sure to give her the red towel for the couch. I really wanted to get back to my treat as soon as possible. I knew Dina was right, I was putting play over our necessary tasks.

I had a moment where I questioned my actions. I had been blocking our bond. I wondered if this was hindering Dina's ability to read it. She didn't have it 24/7 the way I had and even I hadn't mastered understanding it fully yet. I might have to stop blocking our bond. Or tell her I could block it and I didn't want her to. I was her Dominant, her Master. I wanted full access to her mind, body, and even her soul. I wasn't thrilled with having to have that conversation with her, but I knew eventually she'd figure it out. We were closely connected and it would only become a tighter, closer connection as time went on.

I pushed these thoughts to the side and sat down in the office that led to our underground home. I should have devised a signal so she knew to start. I'd plan this more carefully next time. It had been a while since the head between my legs made more of my choices than the one on my neck, but my sexy submissive cooped up in my lair while she was bleeding? My brain and sensibilities were almost guaranteed to lose to my other needs.

I clicked in the camera system on my laptop. Dina sat down and began to pull out her computer to find the videos. I opened up a word document to keep track of what I was getting from her. She still didn't know about the cameras. Pam had been surprised when I first got them. I wasn't a technological man. I used the computer for shopping, e-mail, research, records at Fangtasia, and my security system. It was the convenience and necessity that made me relent every time I acquired a new gadget I had previously resisted. I still longed for the days where these impersonal machines were not needed. But right now I needed them and appreciated the extra security and aid my cameras provided.

As she pulled her laptop toward her and hit the 'play' button on the first video, I minimized the screen where I could see her, relaxed and listened to the bond. I focused all my attention on the connection between us. I tired to see if I could hone in on her the way I did when I wanted to call or check in on Pam. It was similar, but different. I began to feel her emotions springing up. I assumed something that amused her had just happened and ended. I could imagine her laughing. I wrote down 'funny'. I didn't know how to describe her feeling as they came at me, but she was amused. Then she began to feel … anxious? Impatient?

Perhaps she was waiting for something. She must be anticipating the next video. Suddenly her near happy, anticipation dropped to disappointment and even a touch of anger. It seemed like she was confused after this. I could empathize. Her laughter had come and gone at rates I couldn't count. I was on a roller coaster with my bonded. I really hoped she didn't feel this on a regular basis; my head was spinning.

Before I could recover I was hit by a wave of sadness. There was no more laughter or amusement to be found; not even a hint under the surface as there was before. This feeling lingered, rose, and waned. There were bursts of anger. And then…pride? Slowly the happiness began to emerge. There was still a brief bit of sadness in our bond. It felt like she was thinking hard about whatever she was seeing.

Finally the emotions calmed.

I sighed unnecessarily. I needed a moment to process all I felt. Not only was our bond growing, but I had put all my effort into feeling it; in tuning myself with it. It was actually quite easy to do. I thought we were close to a full bond. I glanced at the clock.

Gods, it was only about 15 minutes since I left her. No being can feel that many emotions in such a short time and not go crazy. I thought it would take me days to recover from this!

I printed the little feeling sheet I wrote up and started to walk downstairs. I felt great amusement coming from our bond and was curious as to what she found so funny. When I walked in she was watching another video. I thought we agreed on only three.

"Dina."

She looked up immediately. I was pleased because I thought she felt me through the bond. I doubted that she could hear me with her headphones on.

"Eric?"

She was surprised to see me.

"What are you doing, Lover?"

"Starting the second video….what are you doing?"

"Second?" My eyes bugged out. I was sure of it. Vampires didn't faint, but I was so shocked I felt light headed. That was only one video?

"Oh god….was the first one too long? Eric I'm sorry. I kinda hate doing things like this. I pick things that are too long and then it takes too much time. I'm sorry…"

"No…it wasn't – how long was it?" I was about to reassure my bonded that the length wasn't the issue, when I wondered just how long the video was.

"About… 9minutes and 40seconds." She looked at her computer screen while telling me this.

"It's fine…it brought out a lot of emotions in you. What was it?"

"Oh, you remember the show Roseanne? It was the last minutes of the last episode; always makes me cry. She wraps everything up."

I continued to stare at my bonded. She was so calm. After all the laughing, anger, and (apparently) crying, she sat there so relaxed looking at me as if this was an everyday thing. I had to sit down. I came to the couch and let my body fall. How could she feel this and stay sane? And what was this Roseanne? It must have driven people mad!

"Eric? Are you alright?" One of her hands went to my shoulder and the other to my forearm.

"I am fine, Lover…that must have been a powerful video. Let's only discuss this one. I think we have enough to work with." Through our bond I felt Dina get embarrassed. She really thought her video choice was a problem. I moved and put my arm around her. "Don't be embarrassed. Your video was fine. I didn't think so many emotions could be brought up from only a singular video or I wouldn't have told you to find so many."

She gave a small laugh. "Are you really emotionally overwhelmed?"

"Yes. I believe I am. Anyway on to your feelings." I was not interested in talking about my reaction to these feelings. I wasn't even interested in thinking about how I was reacting.

"I'll start by telling you what I felt. You seemed to be very amused – initially and periodically throughout the whole video. I assume you were laughing. Then it was like you were waiting for something. How is that so far?"

"Good. Its primarily a funny video so I do laugh a lot and since I've seen it so many times I am anticipating the next scene before it happens."

"Then I felt some anger. And you might have been perplexed at one point." I stopped and waited for a response.

"Yes. There were some references to sexism. You know how I feel about that. It was also revealed that the two sisters actually dated the other's boyfriends and their romances were just part of the mother's imagination." I stared at her. This made no sense. "Ok, the short story is that the whole show was actually the mother's book and during the last episode she talks about what she fictionalized and what was real. She decided her younger daughter should have dated the artist boy and the older one dating the dopey guy. But in actuality it was reversed. And it's hard to imagine it that way! You know?"

"Not really, but have I gotten your feelings correct so far?"

"Yes."

I nodded. I had done well so far – considering the crazy story my Bonded had watched. "Then you became very sad."

"Yes, it was revealed one of the characters had died."

"I see." A comedy show with death. One that makes people laugh and immediately cry afterward – how was this healthy? Weren't there human authorities who monitored these things? Surely watching a show like this on a regular basis must be so taxing that the person can't work to their full potential for at least a day afterward. But then again, Dina seemed to be doing well after the fact.

"Eric? You still here with me?"

"Yes- yes. You felt many feelings after that-"

"It must have been her last monologue." She interrupted me. I had no desire to see this video. Absolute insanity.

"You felt some anger, quite a bit of sadness, some pride – perhaps? – and some happiness. How does this sound?"

"Good. There were some references to life, to sexism and classism. It's a sore topic for me. Her grief was sad. And …well a little sad for me too – I've lost dreams in my life and maybe I didn't work hard enough for them. It was great to hear her talk up being blue collar. I loved that! Overall, it was a great ending. One of my favorite videos."

I stared at her. She watched this on a regular basis. She knew it would inspire these emotions, including crying, yet she watched it again and again. I would never understand this woman. I had to walk away from this damned video and these emotions for now.

"Well….this was enlightening. I'm proud of how well our bond is working. I also knew about your issues with sexism. Luckily you won't have to worry about me putting you in the kitchen without shoes on!" I smiled, trying to ease out of this with a joke.

She blinked at me and then gave a half-hearted laugh. "I know. I'd never accuse you of being sexist."

"I said that wrong didn't I?"

"Oh honey, …I got it" She tried to sooth me.

"How do you walk around sane every day feeling so much emotion at one time?" I had to know.

She shrugged her shoulders. "I dunno Eric. I just do. Like – remember when I asked you how you didn't cut me with your fangs when we kissed and you said that was just how it was?" I did remember that conversation, and I nodded. "Same thing. It's just how I am, how I think, how I perceive things in the world." She squeezed my hand with both of hers, smiling into my eyes. Her eyes were my undoing.

"Lover, this has taken a lot from me. I am overwhelmed by what you feel. I need nourishment!" Dragging the towel with us, I pushed her back against the cushions and dove between her legs, my fangs clicking solidly into place.

"Eric!" She rolled her eyes and tried to scoot away from me, but I followed, growling my displeasure at her. I would not be denied!

Dina POV

.god! I couldn't believe what Eric was doing. "You are such a drama queen!" I laughed at him.

He raised his head and looked at me very seriously, licking his lips. "Later, you will explain what this term "drama queen" means. Now hold still! You know you will enjoy this!" He waggled his eyebrows at me. I rolled my eyes and shook my head. There was nothing I could do. Eric was determined. I relaxed back against the pillows… Only to rear up a second later as I felt a raw stinging burn wherever his tongue, or his fangs, touched me. I drew in a deep breath through my teeth and tried to tell myself to just endure it. But Eric knew something was wrong. "Lover?" he asked concernedly.

"It's OK baby, I'm just a little raw," I tried to reassure him. "Take what you need." My voice was tight as I said this.

Eric shook his head. "I had hoped my demands would not make you sore. I am truly sorry." Then he dug his fangs into two of his fingers making them bleed profusely. I flinched as he brought his hand near me again, but he held firmly onto my hip and shook his head sternly. "Let me heal you." It was an order. I held my breath and closed my eyes. His hand swept through my slit and up and around my clit, even beneath the hood. At first it hurt, but as he continued his ministrations the stinging reduced, then went away completely. "Now the bad part," he warned me, and I nodded tightly. He had to bite his fingers again to resume the bleeding, but then they circled my entrance and I twisted my body to get away. "Dina!" He said firmly. I nodded and tried to keep still, my eyes filling with tears. His fingers delved inside as far as his tongue had, and after a few minutes all of the pain stopped. I relaxed and sighed.

"Thank you Eric!" I said softly.

He leaned in and touched his forehead to mine, caressing my cheek with his fingers. "I had hoped not to teach you this lesson so soon or so unintentionally in this case…" He lowered his body unto mine and let me feel some of his weight. His hand moved up and worked into my hair. Like most times when Eric was getting close to kissing me, he fisted his hand in my hair. My head was fairly immobilized and were it not for the fact that I knew his mouth had blood from my vag in it, I'd be looking forward to a nice make-out session with his signature hair pulling. "Too much of a good thing is actually a bad thing. Even if you love the sensation of my tongue between your thighs, after a while it makes your skin raw. Someday we'll have fun playing with all different stimulations and seeing how they change after they keep going. Pleasure becomes pain. Mild annoyance becomes agony. And in some people the pain actual become like a pleasure – an addiction. We'll find this out together and learn how you react soon."

His words about pain and pleasure had the wheels in my head turning. He rubbed his nose on my cheek and brought his lips toward mine, but at the last second moved to nuzzle my other cheek. I stopped thinking about his alluring and terrifying insights about pain and pleasure and the promise that I would receive first hand knowledge. I was more focused on his mouth. He knew I didn't want him to kiss me. His lips moved down to my throat and I had butterflies in my stomach. Eric was clear the other night. I didn't want to kiss him with period blood in his mouth. But he made the rules and if he wanted a kiss, I would have to give him one. I relaxed under him. I didn't fight the fact that he was holding my head. He looked at me and lowered his face until his lips were hovering above mine. I took a breath. This was it.

"Be right back," he said softly. Before I could react he got off me and went toward the back of the house. I sat there dumbfounded for moment. I might have overwhelmed him with my emotions, but this pain, pleasure, 'we'll find out together', possible kissing, blood, and everything else had done a lot to overload my brain.

I thought I was getting hungry. I wondered if Eric would mind if I ate. I felt like I should ask, even though Eric hadn't told me to ask. He usually kept up with my eating habits quite well. I actually wanted chocolate far more than real food. I could eat food later, but my yearning for chocolate was my priority right now.

"Eric?" I said loudly, and then remembered he could probably hear me if I whispered. "Do we have any chocolate?"

"I believe we do. Why don't you check in the kitchen? Come to bed after you find some. I'll be waiting." He replied.

"Ok." That was simple. Getting up with this towel between my legs would not be as simple. I really wish he would just let me have some underwear with a pad for when I was going between rooms. I could pull them on and take them right back off. I knew what Eric's answer would be: NO. I struggled my way into the kitchen and started raiding the cabinets to find some chocolate. After a frustrating and fruitless search, I opened the freezer to see if I had frozen any. Eurkea! I had some 3packs of Turtles and funsize Snicker bars. I grabbed one of each. Since my hands were busy I used my teeth to hold the end of the wrappers and make my way to the bed. I wondered if Eric really meant for me to eat in bed.

I sat down and adjusted the towel. I decided to forget about whether I should be eating in bed and started to tear into my candies. Oh. Sweet. God.

This was heaven. It was a little hard to bite since I didn't allow them any time to warm up, but I didn't care. I noticed my teeth felt a little bit better after I had Eric's blood. I had surmised that he couldn't reverse my cavities, but it was easier to chew after I had some blood in my system. Eric came out and I stopped mid-bite. I wondered what his plans were.

"Keep eating. All I need from you is to listen." He turned and started rummaging through the drawers. "I will feed you a more proper meal after this. I'm going to give your pussy time to rest while I work on your anal training."

I stopped eating. I had hoped to have a 5-7 day break from that. (I was actually annoyed by gym teachers and other 'experts' who said a period is 3-5 days. I had never had one that short). I knew not to protest.

"I will only use my fingers. I promise we will focus on the pleasure and not on stretching you – which causes some discomfort."

Discomfort was putting it mildly. I really didn't like that plug. I knew some of it was the physical and some was the embarrassment and anger that he left it in all day. I was beginning to understand how some subs felt resentment and anger after a punishment/discipline. I didn't know if I had deserved that harsh of a punishment. Or maybe I did and I was just mad that I had misbehaved and had a punishment I didn't like. I hated to seem like a spoiled brat.

"Lover, I hear the wheels in your head turning. I'd prefer it if you relaxed for me." He walked over and set down an oval machine. I couldn't figure out what it was.

"What's that?"

"A warmer. Its heating the bottle of lube. Don't worry, it will be warm and not hot. I noticed you don't like how the gel feels when it comes straight from the bottle and I have no body heat to warm it for you."

"Oh, thanks." That was really sweet of him. Sometimes I forgot about our differences. Cold lube didn't bother him at all and, as a Vampire, he couldn't warm it with his hands. While I mused on this he took my wrappers to toss them in the bathroom's wastebasket.

"I want you to present yourself to me lover."

I hesitated as I wondered if I should be more vertical or horizontal on the bed. Maybe I should get in the middle either way so he had room. Moved to the middle of the bed and looked back at him. I decided it would be best if I was horizontal. The pillows on the bed were near the side of my body, instead of in front of me. I dropped my lower half and placed my bottom in the air.

"Very good," He nearly growled. "You look amazing!" I lowered my face to the bed to hide the flush of pleasure that his words brought out. Face down and ass up wasn't exactly my idea of my most attractive pose, but Eric's obvious admiration took away all the self-consciousness. He leaned forward and kissed me on the shoulder, aware of the good feelings his words brought out in me.

I smiled. I kept my head down and waited. I had butterflies in my belly. I felt his wet fingers rest near my other hole. His dry hand reached down to stroke my folds and rub my clit. I moaned.

"Good girl. I know you like it when I touch you. Trust me to make you feel good."

He circled my rosebud. It did start to feel good after I relaxed and focused on the sensations and not my worries. He slowly worked one finger in. There was a slight pressure, but no pain. I caught myself moaning and move back toward his finger. His other ones alternated between playing with my pussy and simply letting me focus on him penetrating my ass. When he went for the second finger, I did tense up for a moment.

"Relax." Eric reminded me. There was pressure that stayed for a little while. I felt the urge to push his fingers out, and knew that was the secret to loosening my muscles. I bore down and concentrated on opening for him. Eric had told me I had to teach my body to accept him into it. After a few minutes he found a rhythm with his two fingers and had stopped touching me with his other hand.

"I love your noises lover. I can't believe how nervous you were. I remember someone asking if she could cum from this alone… ..I don't think that is possible with only two fingers. I'm going to make you cum and then you will feed me."

His other hand went back to my clit. He started to thrust his two digits faster into me. He worked my clit simultaneously. I began to move with him and my legs shook.

"Oh….god…Eric."

"Yes, I am your God. I own you. Every part of you is mine."

"Yes…yes…all yours." I breathed out. My orgasm was coming hard.

"Cum for me. Cum for your Master, Lover."

I did. I came until I saw stars and my body collapsed on the bed. Quickly I was flipped over and Eric's mouth covered my cunt. He had defiantly earned his treat. There was a mix of pleasure and pain as his tongue dove into me. I was still sensitive and had just had an orgasm. But I didn't care – I wanted the sensations and I wanted to please Eric.

His arms slid under my thighs and his hands pulled me wide apart. I couldn't move if I had wanted to, so I concentrated on opening myself fully to him. He sensed what I was doing and rewarded me with a low growl of approval, the vibrations sending me over the edge again, crying out and clawing at the pillows around me. Through all of that he held my hips still, the inability to move making me that much more sensitive. With difficulty, I was able to relax and let Eric's tongue work its magic. I can't remember how many times I came. All I knew was that by the end I was a shaking, weak, inarticulate mass of goo that Eric covered with a blanket and left to my ecstasy.

"Eric?" I whimpered in protest the second he left me, but he was back in less than a minute, his hands and face clean of the blood that had covered them. He scooped me up into his arms, blanket and all, and headed for the bathroom. He peeled away the blanket and got us both in the shower, turned on the water, and before I could do anything he pinned me against the wall, lifted me, and slid into me in one long, smooth stroke. This, I hadn't expected, and I sighed with pleasure, opening my eyes wide and smiling at Eric.

"Let me give you what you want, Lover," he rasped at me in that deep, sexy voice of his. Then he began to move, holding me pinned against the wall and finding a steady, pulsing, oh-my-god rhythm that made me forget everything but his eyes, his mouth, his hands, and his cock. I came at least three times before he found his release, and to my surprise he stayed inside of me as his seed filled me. When he let me down I fell against him on jelly legs that didn't feel like they'd be working any time soon. And my ferocious Vampire put me down onto the bench seat, tenderly washed and conditioned my hair, scrubbed me all over with the new honeysuckle body wash, and made me come again as he used the handheld to clean out what he had left within me. Eric's hands were like heaven on my body, whether we were being sexual or not. When I reached out to take care of him, he pushed my hands away and leaned me into the corner of the bench seat on a bath pillow. "You have pleased me well tonight, Dear One," he insisted. "It is my turn to take care of you." I didn't object. Instead I watched this incredibly gorgeous man, who I still couldn't believe was mine, lather suds over his perfectly sculpted body and rinse off before reaching for me to take us both back to bed.

Eric left me briefly to fix me a sandwich in the kitchen and bring it back. It was just a little after midnight, and something was brewing in his mind. I could tell; perhaps it was the bond making it so clear to me. Sure enough, I was right.

"There is something I would like to talk to you about," Eric said when I had finished eating and was settled comfortably in his arms. I looked at him warily, unable to tell what he might be thinking by either his voice or his expression. He didn't usually approach subjects this way. He was usually more direct.

"Okay," I responded, tilting my head to the side and swallowing nervously.

He sat both of us up and maneuvered me to face him. I moved carefully to make sure the towel that protected the bedsheet didn't move from beneath me. He looked down, and then looked into my eyes. "I want the truth when you answer this question," he said firmly, his eyebrows raising a little and his forehead wrinkling, an expression that told me he was very serious.

I nodded at him, reaching for his hand for a bit of reassurance. I had no idea what was about to happen here. He took my hand in both of his and rubbed his palms together, my flattened hand in the middle. His skin was coarse – not completely smooth because he had done manual work when he was human, but not as calloused as it would have been if he still did it today. I loved the feel of those hands on me. "Okay Eric," I nodded.

He sighed, closing his eyes for a few seconds and then looking at me intently. "You need not fear punishment or any retaliation if you don't answer this a certain way," he told me earnestly. I believed him, and nodded.

"What is it Eric? You're making me nervous. Tell me, please?" I was getting scared and he must have been able to feel it. Now wasn't the time for beating around the bush! Not after a statement like that!

He looked away again, and back. I had never known Eric to be nervous, but he almost seemed to be now. "Do you fear me, Dina?" He finally asked. Now that he had said it, his eyes stayed on me, holding my gaze captive. For a moment I couldn't look away. But then I had to. "Dina?" he said suspiciously. He knew I didn't want to answer. "Answer me!"

I didn't know how a lie would make this situation better so I decided to tell him the truth. After all, he had promised that he wouldn't retaliate if he didn't like my answer. I opened my mouth a couple of times but nothing came out. Finally I just said it, very softly. "S- sometimes." I felt, through the bond, a slight sense that I'd hurt his feelings, and then suddenly I felt nothing. He must be able to somehow close himself off to me. I wondered if I could do that too.

He kissed my fingers, still holding them in his hand. He was outwardly calm but I couldn't tell any more what else he was feeling. "Thank you for your honesty. This distresses me more than you know." He looked at the floor and was silent for a moment but he never let go of my hand. I didn't try to pull it back. I wondered what had brought this on. "The fault for this is mostly mine, I believe," he continued. "I want to talk about it in further detail." He looked into my eyes and I saw that he wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer. I knew that stubborn look of his very well.

"What else can I tell you?" I asked. I was willing to tell him whatever he wanted to know as long as he wasn't going to do anything to me for telling him.

"Can you be specific?" he asked. "The first time I gave you my blood you were not afraid of me. That was why I gave it to you. I was happy to hear that and it made me want to bond with you. Somewhere that changed. Do you remember when or how?"

I really had to think about it for a minute. The first time Eric ever did anything that made me afraid of him… Then I remembered that awful night he'd taken me upstairs for my first checkup with Dr. Ludwig. He'd pulled me through the house, thoughtlessly ignorant of the fact that he had no lights installed and I was just a human. Then he'd spoken with her like I wasn't even in the room and finally he had looked inside of me while the speculum still had me spread wide open inside! That night it had all come crashing down onto my head. The gravity of the decision I'd made, just how much power over me I had handed to Eric, and the fact that he could make me disappear off the face of the earth and nobody would ever know what had happened to me. I loved Eric. I trusted Eric, but that didn't stop the unwanted frisson of fear that had crawled up my spine that night. He had comforted me when I'd broken down. But somehow I had begun to fear him.

"I.. I'm not sure but," I started to say, looking sorrowfully into his eyes. They were open, accepting, waiting. He softly caressed my hand with his thumb and I realized how much I now took his touch for granted. "Do you remember the night when you took me upstairs to see the doctor for the first time?" I waited a few seconds and he nodded, silent and encouraging. I could already feel my chest tightening and hoped I wouldn't cry. "You.. you dragged me through the house so fast, and I couldn't see without the lights. You told me how cold your world was, how they would think of me as a pet, but I wasn't prepared for you to act that way." My voice faltered as I breathed in shakily and tried to speak again. My eyes were stinging. Eric picked up my other hand and held both of them between his. His grasp was intimate, not intended to restrain me in any way.

'You can do this!' I coached myself.

Eric showed no signs of his usual impatience as I gathered my next words. "You and her talked about me like I wasn't there or didn't understand English. She frowned all the time and I was sure she didn't like me. You never even looked at me!" I looked down and then back up at him, my gaze reproachful. Tears started to flow then and I couldn't stop them. Before he could say anything I went on. "And then you… then... then you... you w-wanted to see inside of me while she still had that THING opening me wide. I never felt so embarrassed, so humiliated in my life! I wanted to shrink! I wanted to run from both of you, screaming, but I knew I wouldn't get far!" I hugged myself and began to rock back and forth, trying to will myself to stop crying.

Eric gathered me close into his arms and I clung to him, shaking and sobbing. "Dina, Love, I thought you understood!" he said gently. "I told you that we would not be able to act as we normally do around others! Don't you know that was all an act? I told you it would be practice because Dr. Ludwig is mostly safe. I can't let it get out that I have a companion I am so fond of and close to! It was important for you to learn and keep practicing this." His hand rubbed my back gently and I nodded into his shoulder. "And Dr. Ludwig does like you. A great deal, as a matter of fact!" he whispered conspiratorially into my ear. I gave him a small smile for trying.

"I feel the truth in you Eric, I guess I do know that!" I said softly. "But that night… it was too much! As we came back downstairs, each security door we passed felt like a prison door. It hit me then, the decision I had made, the fact that you had complete control over me and my whole life, and that I couldn't get out if I wanted to." I paused to breathe in sharply through my nose, which was starting to run. From nowhere he produced a handkerchief. I'd never seen him carry one. I looked at it curiously and blew my nose into it, wiping the wetness from my face. But the tears kept coming.

"I remember that you broke down that night but I thought I'd comforted you enough! Why didn't you tell me you needed more reassurance, or answers from me?" He spoke kind of sharply and I cringed into his chest, the tears starting again.

"That was before we really talked about me asking questions and telling you when something was wrong," I responded, rubbing my cheek on his chest. He truly was my rock, even as he intimidated me and scared me sometimes. I couldn't imagine life without him. "Your world has always scared me. And suddenly I know I'm part of it. When I realized how much power you had – you could kill me and nobody would ever know what happened – I started to fear you." I pulled back from him a little bit, and he let me. I put my hands in my lap and stared at them, folding and unfolding Eric's handkerchief.

He sighed sadly. "Why?" he wanted to know. "I've never hit you with the intent to harm. I've only touched you once in anger and I still regret that." His hands rubbed my upper arms just below my shoulders where he'd bruised me that night. "I hadn't even punished you for anything yet! How could I go from the Eric you loved to Eric the abuser in your mind?" He was trying to make sense of it, and I knew I'd have to tell him something I'd buried so far back into my psyche that I'd hoped never to think of it again. As soon as I thought of it, his eyes darkened with suspicion. He stared warily at me, turning his head partly to the side. "What are you thinking about?" he demanded.

I reached out to him hoping he would take me in his arms again, and he did. "There's something about me you don't know." I felt his body tense but he didn't release me. In fact, his hold tightened for a few seconds and then went back to the way it had been.

"What have you not told me?" he demanded again. "You don't have to fear punishment. Just tell me." I could read him well enough to know that he was trying not to get angry. He viewed omissions as lies but this had to be different. There had been no reason to tell him until now.

I squeezed him hard and said, "I love you Eric!" Then I disengaged myself from his arms so that he could see my face, and my eyes. "I've never talked about this to anybody. My aunt and uncle are the only ones who know because they had to come get me more than once." I looked fully into his eyes. "A few years ago I was a lot different than I am now. I was kinda wild and said I'd try anything once. I was rebellious. I wasn't in a good place and had a lot of emotions I was trying to bury, instead of work through. A lot of my friends weren't the best influences. I met a guy through a mutual acquaintance and we clicked right away. He had a Harley and I love those bikes, so he started taking me out for long rides on his hog. He was crazy and wild and funny. But so was I – only he took it too far. I might have been struggling to wade in the water, but he was drowning."

Tears were threatening again, and I held shaky hands out to Eric. He took them without hesitation and nodded, saying nothing. I knew he didn't like hearing about previous boyfriends but this he had to know. "S-so we fell in love, or I thought he loved me, and we moved in together. That was when I found out how bad he really was." As if he sensed what I was about to say, Eric's fangs came down with a solid "snick." His hold on my hands tightened slightly. "He drank and did coke – cocaine – like it was nothing. It wasn't just a hobby after a while. It was his everyday thing; a part of his life. Then he'd get violent." A low growl started to sound inside of Eric and his brows came down over his eyes, but he didn't say anything, waiting for me to finish. "At… At first it was for a reason, like when he didn't have enough money to buy cocaine and blamed me because I only made a waitress's wages. He hated me going to school. He-he wanted this life neither of us could have and when things didn't go his way, he made it worse with more booze. One time his truck got repossessed and I thought he was going to kill me. Later, he just did it if he didn't like the way I looked, or if it rained, or if he lost a round of pool to his bar buddies. He…"

"Enough!" Eric thundered, releasing my hands and standing up. "What is this dead man's name?" Naturally, he wanted to get revenge for me. I felt warmth inside of me. Rodger deserved Eric's anger more than Bobby Burnham had. I didn't attempt to try and explain that addiction is a disease. People didn't have that sympathy after the addict harmed someone they loved. And Eric had no sympathy for anyone who had ever slighted me. "Dina," Eric said in warning when I didn't answer right away. "Do not attempt to protect this one from my wrath! He deserves to die!"

"Eric, sit down, please?" I begged him. He was unmovable. He towered over me, waiting. "I agree with you, okay? But I have more to say! Please?"

Maybe it was the tone of my voice, or the look in my eyes, but he realized there was more to the story and slowly sat down. His posture remained rigid. He gestured at me to go on. I put my hands on his knees. "He was the reason I moved out here. As long as I stayed in Chicago he could always find me. He did a couple of times."

"Just tell me who he is!" Eric said flatly in that soft voice that promised death to whoever he was mad at.

"His name is Rodger Atherton," I said, and Eric immediately jumped to his feet and started to walk away. "Wait! What are you doing?"

"I will find the address of this Rodger Atherton and he will die tonight if I can find it that quickly!"

"Stop, Eric, please!" I begged him again.

He looked at me disbelievingly. "You do not wish for me to do this? We have spoken about my world and yours, and you are a part of my world. Dina, don't you understand why I want to do this?"

I went to him and wrapped my arms around his waist. "Yes! He hurt me and you want to kill him for that! You care about me. I know Honey, but there's more to say."

"What more is there?" he asked crisply, more than eager to find Rodger and take his revenge.

"He's already dead!" I told Eric.

He looked dubious. "Already dead?" I got the feeling he didn't believe me but he had to. The bond didn't let us lie and I reminded him of that.

"You know I'm telling the truth. What about the bond?" I asked gently.

"I will verify this. Give me the date and the reason that he died." Eric was going to leave no stone unturned.

"June 18, 2004," I told him. "He was drunk and hit a concrete barrier on the highway. He was thrown from the bike and died instantly. Check the Chicago Suntimes. There was a story on page 16 the next day." I was surprised that I'd managed to tell the story without breaking down. I'd thought that if I ever did talk about it, I would. Eric must be a good influence on me.

He pulled me into his arms and held me tight. Then he picked me up and carried me back to the bed, where he held me on his lap after he sat down. "I am sorry for making you tell me that," he said, "and for flying off the handle. I should have heard the entire story before jumping to take action. Did he hurt you badly?"

I nodded and started to shake slightly again. "Can we not talk about that?" I said in a tiny voice.

He held me close and I felt him nod. "I won't make you say more. So this is why you so easily imagined that I would hurt you?"

"Uh-huh," I affirmed. "That's the bulk of it." I sighed.

"You have to understand. I went from being responsible, but surrounded with family to alone very fast. I had a moment or 12 where I kinda lost myself. You know about my panic attacks. You heard one the night we…got together. I used to use control as a way to deal with stress. I'd control things, I'd get bossy, and with you? I can't use that. It's not really even a great defense mechanism, but it's all I had. Somehow Rodger got it away from me. I think because he made me feel like I had a way out of the mess I was in and I was willing to do what I had to hold on to that."

I stopped again to compose myself and he let me.

"I'm sorry Eric! I didn't mean to hurt you with my baggage. I didn't have to jump to any conclusions or mistrust you. You are very good to me."

"It isn't entirely your fault or the fault of your 'baggage'," he disagreed. "I've made a great many mistakes in the short time you've been here with me. I've pushed things on you – the bondage, the submission, the control, the rough sex, my sadistic side – without ever telling you what to expect. I never allowed you to take part in your training and set goals for yourself. From now on I need to be open about my expectations, and what I will give back." He sighed. "As my submissive, your job is to serve me, to make me happy. In return for that, I am supposed to be able to read you well enough to know when I'm pushing too hard. My task is to give you what you need, and I don't just mean food and a place to live. I want to make you happy and give you things that will give you pleasure. I want you to feel completely satisfied and enjoy our sex life. I need to make you feel safe and secure so that you can trust me to know that no harm will ever come to you."

I was shocked and surprised to hear Eric be this candid. This was the first time his requirements to me were said in such a precise and sincere manner. "I'm not an expert on this Domination and submission thing. I worried that your world would get in the way of you being able to give me too much. The whole weakness thing and your reputation. " It still made me uncomfortable that he could do anything he wanted to me without repercussion if he so chose. But I did trust him enough to know he wouldn't. at least my rational side trusted him, my emotions got the better of me now and again.

"See, that is my mistake!" Eric stated. "I should have told you this the first night. I wouldn't have claimed you if I didn't think I could balance our life with my world. You need to know what to expect from me, and what I expect from you. If you don't, how can you not be afraid of me?"

It was logical. He was right. A lot of my fear was fear of the unknown. "What are we going to do about it?" I knew he would control it, but I trusted him to make the right decisions.

"We need to move forward with the contract that we discussed. It will give a general outline of how our relationship will be structured."

"Are things on the contract negotiable?" I asked, hoping he wasn't going to present me a list of his demands and force me to sign it. I had more questions now that I'd had time to think, since the first time Eric had broached the subject.

"Yes. If you don't agree to all of it, you don't have to sign it. I'll even go so far as to have Mr. Cataliades, my lawyer, draw it up professionally so it is legally binding. Then if I don't live up to something, you have the right to do something about it."

I balked at having his lawyer make the contract for us. "Eric, I don't want a lot of people to know what we do here! They wouldn't understand!"

He chuckled. "You mean people like Sookie, or Sam?" I nodded. "Don't worry! Cataliades is a model of discretion. He is legally bound to keep everything a secret. You and I won't tell anybody we don't want to know about us."

"Why is doing things this way so important to you?" I finally felt safe to ask him the question I'd wanted answered since he'd announced what he wanted from me.

He moved me from his lap and sat me next to him so I could face him. I craved the contact, so I scooted in between his legs while he reclined on the pillows. "There are many reasons. All Vampires are aggressive and possessive. I am also naturally dominant. My maker dominated me in all ways when I was a young Vampire, even sexually. And he was cruel. He hurt me every day. I longed for the day I could leave on my own, and I swore that I would always dominate any relationship that I had."

"Eric, he hurt you? Can I go kill him for you?" I grabbed his muscled forearm with both hands.

He patted my hands and pulled me close for a hug. "He is already dead, Little One, or I would give you my blessing." He kissed my cheek and let me sit back up.

"Okay so your time with your maker made you a Dominant?" I asked.

"It was already part of my personality. Unfortunately, Appius's sadistic appetites passed on to me – by a much lesser degree. Part of serving me as my submissive is letting me be sadistic sometimes. You know that I won't push you so far past your boundaries that you'll be hurt, and you'll trust that I'll make it up to you. I hope we can work this out."

I was shocked again. "Is that why you hurt me sometimes during sex?"

"It is," he said unashamedly. "And better communication from you will tell me exactly what you like and how you like it. We already know that you enjoy pain to some degree."

My skin turned red. This was my time to start being completely honest with Eric. "I do, Eric, more than I've admitted."

"Dina, you are new to combining pain with pleasure. There is a difference between taking pain while you're aroused; the pain enhances the pleasure. But after you've been satisfied, that same pain just hurts. You need to tell me when that happens, so we can be more together on this."

"How do I do that?"

"Use your safe words for one thing," he told me. "And that is another thing we need to talk about. Your safe words. I know that I originally told you that if you weren't correctly using them, I'd punish you for using them. My telling you that made them virtually useless to you because you probably thought they wouldn't work or I'd punish you every time. I've changed my mind after trying to consider your point of view. From now on, if you use your safe words, I won't question you, I won't overrule you, and I won't punish you. No matter what. But my agreeing to do this puts the ball back in your court. Use them wisely and honestly. If you are dishonest, I will respond appropriately, but I'll know you were dishonest. I won't punish you but the trust between us will be diminished. That is the most important thing between a couple like us. Trust."

"Eric I do trust you more than I trust anybody else in my life. I promise I'll work on that 'jump-off-a-cliff trust you talked to me about once, OK?"

"That is all I can ask, Love"


	29. NOT A CHAPTER REQUEST

I am so sorry this is not a chapter. I am so sorry for the lack of an update

but I'm working on it...which is why I need to ask:

Does anyone want to help with writing, editing, managing some stories? I work with Shadokat on a few fics, including Deadly Words and we need some help due to our schedules. As some of you know, DW deals with adult themes, mainly a D/S relationship, so we will need someone comfortable with that.

Our main issue is staying on track, making time to write/collaborate, and having the story be consistent. Anyone interested? Can someone be recommended?

DW is the main story getting our attention, but there are other fics that have fallen to the side. Some of whom have vastly different genres.

That's the simple request we have. At the moment Shadokat and I email back and forth pieces of chapters we write indecently. When we have time we prefer to chat and go back and forth. Sometimes one of us only writes a paragraph or two and other times we write pages before switching off. We are considering putting our documents on Google Docs or a similar program. I am not techy and use Microsoft Word 2003 with limited features (compared to newer models). We might ask another person to write with us in the same capacity. But what we need most is someone to edit, to catch plot holes, to keep us on track with our story plan.

I almost always write with a partner because I have a hard time staying on track and need someone to be patient with my schedule but to keep me going when I get behind. As well as someone to bounce ideas off of.

I think in some ways this story has larger plans and points than we have been able to manage. There are also some concerns with how it is written and we are trying to resolve those issues.

I'll fully admit that since this is our personal work we do have 'diva disagreements' and sometimes take things personally (which happens often with collaborators ; trust me). but we need the criticism and compromise to do this right.

I hope I'm giving just enough information – not rambling and not being too vague. I am happy to go into more details and clarify things for anyone with the slightest interest in working with us. I can be reached by PM


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